To See You Again (old version)
by CloakSky
Summary: He didn't know it the first time he saw her, but he felt it the first time she left his sight - the overwhelming urge to see her again. Not your typical Future Timeline fanfic (I hope!). GohanVidel.
1. A Clandestine Meeting

**To See You Again**

Part One

* * *

 _Chapter One: A Clandestine Meeting_

* * *

Violence was something Gohan was accustomed to, to say the least. In his young life of nineteen years, he had witnessed and taken part in more fights than he could recall; life and death battles were pretty much his everyday life, even more so now, seeing as fighting those damn cyborgs had become a part of his routine.

This, however... This was different. These people were humans, earthlings. And while Gohan had known the best of the human martial arts experts in his childhood, these fights were...

He hadn't expected this kind of violence, of brutality. These fighters were fighting dirty: they were fighting to hurt, to put on a show and make the crowd of spectators go wild.

Gohan didn't like it at all.

Perhaps he'd been too sheltered as a kid. Perhaps he was still too naive or just foolishly optimistic, even in dark times like these. Perhaps it had been stupid of him to believe that humankind wasn't, couldn't be as bad, terrible and vicious as what he'd witnessed in outer space, or whilst growing up fighting hopeless battles against those vile artificially enhanced humans.

Well, these street fights were obviously proving him otherwise.

Bulma had asked him to investigate the underground parking lots in Silver Town, for they were rumored to hold clandestine street fights for quite some time. She didn't like the sound of it and as Gohan watched these people fight ruthlessly, he was forced to agree.

Flesh clashed against flesh, blood spattered everywhere and stained both opponents across their exposed skin and tattered clothes. One of them, a tall, brown-haired young man spit out red-tinted saliva as he fell into a defensive stance and was already blocking the vicious attacks of the other runner-up, a slightly shorter but bulkier and older man with long red hair.

Gohan had to admit, he was rather impressed. While he did not approve the raw brutality of these street fights, the men's skills were really good.

A pained wince tensed his features when the taller guy got several hits on his stomach that made him double over in pain. His opponent immediately followed with a combo of various punches and kicks, each and every one of them striking home.

With a gasp from the crowd, the younger fighter hit the ground with a thud. Not a moment later an uproar of cheers rose from the audience while the man in charge of the street fights joined the winner in the center of the room and brought the latter's arm upwards in victory, causing the excited crowd to roar even louder.

It took some time to calm the deafening cheers and to allow the organizer to be heard properly. He challenged the people around to take on the winner, who, while still catching his breath, stood tall and looked ready to get at it again.

Before Gohan could step in, a female voice responded to the challenge. The mass of people broke apart to let her get to the center of the parking lot, as it was the makeshift ring.

 _She's tiny_ , was the first thought that crossed Gohan's mind. And she was even wearing big, platform boots, too. From where he was, Gohan only had a faraway view of her back, and he wondered what she looked like. His eyes traveled down along her long raven hair, pulled back into two low ponytails that went all the way down to the small of her back. Gohan unconsciously let his gaze linger on her slim waist, her straight, strong back, which was covered with a tight, dark red tank top tucked in military-kind of trousers.

And then his wandering eyes stopped their course, without meaning to, on her butt. And Gohan stared.

 _Gah! Where the hell am I looking at!?_ he inwardly berated himself, and then slapped himself to snap out of it.

What was wrong with him now? Since when was he the type to shamelessly check out women like some piece of meat? It wasn't like him. He'd never wanted to be like that and he certainly didn't want to start now.

But, well... This girl was really hot. He was simply acknowledging the fact. Nothing wrong with that, right? It wasn't like he could just ignore how slim her figure was, or how nice her curves looked, or how soft he imagined her skin to be...

 _Ugh_... He let out a frustrated sigh, annoyed with himself. He gave a sharp shake of his head in an attempt to clear his mind, then scratched the hair at the base of his neck in a nervous habit.

He wondered distractedly what kind of fighter she was... And whether she was as pretty as he pictured her to be.

The organizer guy briefly asked for the young woman's stage name ("The Devil," she'd answered in a bored tone) and then fled the ring to allow both fighters to begin. On cue, they started circling each other – and Gohan was finally able to see what the young woman looked like.

He was not disappointed.

Gohan blinked slightly. _Wow..._ was his first thought. She was quite the looker. The fringe suited her, although Gohan wished he could see her eyes better from the distance. They were of a light color; not green, not gray, not light brown either – perhaps blue? Though, it was actually the vibrant fire they held that attracted him most.

He smiled. And as he pushed his way through the crowd to get a closer look at the young woman, not taking his eyes off of her for one moment, one word came to mind.

Beautiful.

The fight began. And once again, Gohan wasn't disappointed. Her skills were quite impressive, her focus undisturbed, her precision unwavering. His smile turned into a grin as she fought the bulky man. Damn, she was good. In his mind, there was no doubt about who would win.

Then his eyes narrowed, the man's fist connecting with the girl's stomach and visibly knocking the wind out of her. An incomprehensible fury gripped his guts and boiled his blood as she received a couple more hits. It took all his self-control not to interrupt the fight and charge at the shorter man. But she didn't let her opponent get another hit on her, blocking his kick and immediately countering with her knee flying straight up at his chin. He stumbled backward, gritted his teeth and rushed her again. But she was too fast and he didn't even get to prepare his next attack as she kicked him right between his legs. With the heavy heel of her boot.

Gohan would have winced at the man's unfortunate dismay, but he actually smirked as the poor guy crumbled to the ground, both hands clasped tightly on his groin. Knocked out.

The crowd's uproar was even louder this time, while the organizer approached the new winner and held up her arm as a sign of her victory.

"Well, that was some fight!" he exclaimed. An uneasy chuckle left his lips as the unconscious fighter groaned while he was taken away from the ring. "Who feels like challenging our new winner? Or are you too scared to end up like Red Flames? Anyone up for the challenge?!"

Gohan hesitated. He really, really didn't want to fight this girl, lest he hurt her, but only he would be able to put a stop to these fights, if only just for tonight.

His moment of hesitation cost him the opportunity to answer the challenge, for some other guy beat him to it. A very large and big guy, on top of that. With his shaved head and goatee the man reminded Gohan of the Saiyan Nappa, but the resemblance stopped there. He wore a black, spandex wrestling suit and white boots, and he was at least three times the size of "the Devil", as was her stage name.

A brief introduction taught him that the huge man's own stage name was "the Killing Machine". Not a very reassuring one, that was for sure... Dammit, he should've stepped in sooner!

The fight began. This time, the girl's opponent charged right off the bat, throwing his enormous fist down at her head like a hammer; she evaded the deadly blow quite easily and swept the giant under his feet. He fell backward, and the next moment a pair of knees collided with his swelling stomach. She jumped back and fell into a stance, waiting for the man to get up.

 _Just finish him off!_ Gohan thought impatiently. As uncharacteristic as it was for him to think such a thing, he just wanted this fight to end before the young woman could get more hurt, so that he could finally step in and put an end to these fights.

Panting and grunting, the giant fighter struggled to his feet, and Gohan cursed under his breath, his jaw and fists clenching in anger and worry. She should've just knocked him out when he was down. But the audience was cheering for more: such a quick and easy win wouldn't do to satisfy this bunch.

 _Animals,_ scowled Gohan, his eyes narrowing to slits.

The fight resumed. The girl had the obvious upper hand, and she seemed to be toying with her much bigger opponent. Gohan frowned: she was overconfident. If she wasn't more careful, she was bound to make a mistake.

He wished he wasn't right. The huge fighter, who had been taking blow after blow while all his attempts failed, managed to grab hold of her upcoming leg and landed his big fist across her face. Gohan felt an irrepressible rage course through his being as the man, still holding her leg firmly, struck the young woman a few more times. Bruises were visible on her arms as she tried to protect herself, her face twisted in pain. Encouraged by the crowd, he finally threw her hard on the ground.

"That's it, I'm ending it," Gohan muttered to himself, and started to push himself through the wild audience, tempted to just send everyone flying with a burst of his ki.

But before he could reach the makeshift ring, the raven-haired girl jumped to her feet and charged at her gigantic opponent, crying out as her roundhouse kick hit him across the neck. He was sent flying, right at the crowd, and the few unfortunates that happened to be in his path ended up stuck under his massive weight.

She blew out a breath and stood tall while the cheers became louder than ever. Gohan let out a sigh of relief, himself, as the giant-like man did not get back up.

"Well that was some bloody mess!" exclaimed the organizer, coming up to the winner's level. "And I'm sure you are all dying for more, am I right?"

The uproar of the crowd sickened Gohan. He finally pushed himself to the front, and before the guy in charge could ask for a new challenger he spoke out loudly.

"I'm next!"

The people were so loud no one seemed to notice him. Gohan walked over to the center of the makeshift ring and repeated, shouting in irritation. He was so sick of this atmosphere; he just wanted to get this done and over with already.

"I said I'm next!"

The guy in charge seemed delighted and immediately asked for his stage name. Gohan was somewhat taken aback by the question and his earlier boost of confidence faltered slightly. He glanced to "the Devil"; she was eyeing him doubtfully with her arms crossed, as if she sensed that he didn't belong to a place like this. This did not help him find a stage name.

"Uhh… I'm, uh…"

He hated how his stupid voice quivered. He glanced at her again and saw for the first time just how deep blue her eyes were. He felt his face flush before he could help it and turned quickly away to the organizer, who was still waiting for his stage name.

"I'm Majunior," he finally said. Her stage name made him think of Piccolo's demon days, and the pen name was the first thing that came to his troubled mind.

"All right then!" cried out the man beside him, turning to the sniggering audience; they seemed to find his hesitation very amusing. "Who do you think will win, the Devil or Majunior? Place your bets!"

Gohan narrowed his eyes, as the organizer moved along the people to collect the bets of the upcoming fight. How could they be so excited at the prospect of violence in the current state of the world? One would think that evil cyborgs destroying everything in their path would be enough chaos for several lifetimes. And yet here they were, a bunch of wild animals craving to see more blood.

He just didn't get it.

The organizer gave the signal to begin the fight and the girl fell into a fighting position. Gohan, however, just stood still, gauging her stance and injuries. He frowned. Her arms were covered in bruises from when she had been protecting herself from "the Killing Machine", her chin and temple were bleeding, and she probably had more injuries that he couldn't see. The last thing he wanted was to hurt her any more; he'll have to end this quickly.

"Not taking me seriously, huh," she said in contempt.

Gohan blinked, not understanding what she meant, and the next second he found himself blocking her leg with his forearm. Her brow creased and she attacked him again. And again, and again. And Gohan easily evaded everything she threw at him.

He found himself actually enjoying himself, smirking as she gritted her teeth in frustration.

"Don't… mock me!" she uttered out angrily, her fist hurtling at his face.

But he caught it just as easily as a slow baseball, and couldn't help letting out a low chuckle as she glared at him murderously. Her right fist still stuck in his hand, she tried kicking his sides with her left leg, but again, he caught it just as easily, almost lazily. She looked furious, her face flushed, and she struggled to get free from the strange position, as he didn't let go of her limbs. But Gohan figured that it wasn't in her nature to give up so easily, and wasn't surprised when he had to jump back to avoid her right knee flying directly at his chin.

She charged again without a pause, and Gohan simply let her tire herself out as all her attempts at striking him failed. His earlier decision to end the fight quickly was apparently forgotten; he was having too much fun infuriating this girl to remember.

"UGH!" she cried out in frustration as, yet again, her fist hit nothing but air.

And yet still, her assault of blows just kept coming, didn't even slow down. Gohan had to admit, he was very impressed by her endurance and fighting skills. Despite her small stature, she was really quite strong: he could feel the force behind her strikes whenever he blocked them.

Although, as much fun as this fight was, he needed to put an end to it. He had intended to disappoint the audience by knocking her out quickly without much of a show, and yet ended up doing the exact opposite. The crowd was as loud as ever, though most didn't seem happy about his upper hand, booing and shouting obscenities at him, seeing as they had placed their money on his opponent.

"Finish him already, you slut!"

Gohan's head jerked towards the obese man who shouted the insult at his female opponent. His eyes narrowing to slits as he glared darkly at him, who simply flicked his finger at him. He could feel his blood boil, pulsing in his veins, his anger rising quickly. Forget the fight, forget his mission, right now he could only think of slamming that fat, ugly guy to the ground and forcing him to apologize to the beautiful and skilled fighter for insulting her.

"HIYAAH!"

The worst kind of pain shot through him like bolts of electricity, and Gohan crouched over and fell on one knee, gritting his teeth, his vision unclear, as both his hands covered his painfully throbbing crotch. Damn it, it hurt like hell! It was taking him all he had not to crumble down and whimper like a baby.

But he didn't have time to recover: he felt her attacking him again, obviously intent to end this. Well he sure wasn't going to let that happen; he couldn't possibly lose to a human, however talented she was. Besides, he was supposed to put a stop to these street fights!

He clumsily moved out of the way of her kick, grabbed her outstretched leg, pulled her towards him and gave her neck a light tap. And just like that it was over. She was unconscious.

Shakily, Gohan straightened himself, breathing hard. That girl actually managed to knock the wind out of him! He hadn't expected such a turn of events, then again he shouldn't have let himself be distracted in the middle of a fight. She was good, really good, he had to give her that. Underhanded and sneaky, sure, but very talented indeed.

"Bravo, bravo!" said the organizer, clapping his hands, over the deafening cheers of the crowd, as he walked to the center of the ring. "I have to say I thought Majunior was done for, didn't you?" More cheers and laughter came from the crowd in response. "But he still managed to win after such a low blow! Well then, who's next? Who is up to fighting Majunior next?"

Gohan shook his head sharply, trying to ignore the stinging sensation in his crotch. Okay, this time, no more distractions: he was going according to his plan. This time, he was finally putting an end to these clandestine street fights, at least for tonight.

He glanced at the unconscious young woman as she was being taken away from the makeshift ring, and felt an unexplainable pang in his chest, wondering if he would ever see her again.

ooOoo

That guy… He was no common fighter. Her brows furrowed, and Videl crossed her arms, observing the tall, black-haired guy who, yet again, knocked out his new opponent with a simple chop on the neck. The crowd was booing and some people even threw their empty paper cups or snack bags at him, which he easily dodged, seeming unfazed by their hostility. The organizer tried to calm them down, then turned to the man to whisper something to him through gritted teeth. Understandably, he didn't seem to like losing most of his audience because of the unexciting fights.

"It's not my fault they can't take it," the fighter replied simply, crossing his arms. He looked around him. "Any remaining runner-ups?"

Videl wished she could go against him once again, but after she regained consciousness and watched him effortlessly brush off each and every one of his challengers, she knew it would be pointless. He was so out of her league, it made her furious. But she knew when to back down when she was outmatched.

If anything, the cyborgs taught her that.

She had to wonder why the guy hadn't knocked her out right away like the others who followed, though. Was it because she was a girl? The thought made her furrow her brow further. She hated when men treated her like she was some fragile, helpless woman just because of her gender. She'd long proved she could handle herself in a fight way better than most men she encountered.

Then again, that man, "Majunior", as he called himself... his level was unbelievable. She had seen no flaw in his stance, in the way he moved; he was quick, swift, efficient, and undeniably powerful. It was no wonder he had to hold back when he fought her. As much as she hated to admit it, he was much, much better than her.

She watched him some more as he stood tall, defying the crowd to take him on. Her eyes strayed on his broad shoulders, his toned arms, his strong neck, his boyish traits… But Videl shook her head swiftly, discarding her wandering thoughts. Yeah, so he was good looking. Big deal.

"Majunior" smirked, as the people around him backed away, muttering angrily between themselves. The organizer tried to call them back, but to no avail. Fuming, he growled at the blue and orange-clad fighter, flipped him off, and then walked away. As the parking lot emptied little by little, the man seemed quite pleased with himself. Videl gave him one last look, and then turned away, following the crowd out of the parking lot.

The night was cloudy and chilly, and Videl, with just her tank top, felt goosebumps gathering on her bare arms. Not like she would ever show her discomfort. She stood tall and proud, passing through the frustrated audience, and proceeded to walk home.

"Wait!"

She frowned as she turned around, while "Majunior" ran towards her. What did _he_ want with her, now? Wasn't beating her enough? She didn't need any reminder of her failure, and the tall young man reaching her happened to be just that.

"What?" she said curtly.

He stood there, awkwardly, looking at his feet and scratching the hair at the back of his head. "Uh…"

Videl scowled. She didn't have any time to waste, especially on blubbering idiots. No matter how skillful and talented he happened to be.

"Are you… Are you okay?" he finally asked, and right in time, too. She'd just been about to walk away without a lookback.

"How is that any of your business?" She crossed her arms, tapping her foot impatiently.

"Well, uh…" He scratched the back of his head again. What an annoying habit. "You got some nasty hits when you fought that guy, before me…"

Videl gritted her teeth. What. The. Hell. What did this freak want with her? What did it matter to him whether she got a few scratches? She turned away from him, not in the mood to put up with some stuttering fool, and took long and quick strides to get away from him.

"W-Wait! Please!"

Why was he _still_ talking to her? Couldn't he get a hint? She picked up her pace.

"Just leave me alone, already!"

"But I'm just… I'm just worried. Your arms are full of bruises…"

Videl stopped in her tracks, pursing her lips. She sent him the deadliest glare she could muster. "So. _What._ "

"Well, uh…" He scratched the back of his head, _again_. That habit of his was really getting on her nerves. "I could drive you home if you want. That way, you could rest a bit..."

"I don't need your help!" she retorted, clenching her fists as her mood worsened. "I don't see you going after the others that got injured, so just leave me be! Can't you go bug somebody else instead? Why won't you just leave me alone, already!"

He seemed to think about it, looking sideways for a moment, before turning his dark eyes back to her, his expression dead serious. "I guess I have a thing for you."

She gaped. What the fuck kind of weirdo this guy was? And he actually looked one hundred percent genuine about it, too! What the hell was wrong with this guy! He didn't even know her!

Droplets of water started falling from the heavy clouds, and Videl shivered involuntarily, repressing a wince as the hard rain hit the bruises on her uncovered body parts – not that she would ever let it show, especially not to _him!_ Tired and cold, the young woman once again turned away, intent on getting home and forgetting about this bizarre night.

But a firm tug at her wrist brought her to a sheltered part of the street, under the canopy of some store, and away from the biting rain.

She glowered at him, freeing her wrist from his hold in a swift movement. "Just leave me the fuck alone, already!"

Wordlessly, his traits taut in a frown, he started rolling down his orange overshirt before taking off his dark blue undershirt. As he pulled it over his head, Videl couldn't help but stare. His toned abs, his bulging pectorals, his muscular arms, his perfect V-shaped torso…

She snapped out of it just as he finished taking off his shirt, and scowled at him even more darkly. It wasn't bad enough that this guy was seriously getting on her nerves, he just had to be built like a fucking Greek God, didn't he. Just her luck.

"Take my shirt, it'll protect your bruises from the rain," he said softly, handing the blue garment out to her.

Now she'd had it. "Just what do you think I am, some helpless damsel in distress who can't fend for herself? Did I ever ask for your help? Why can't you get it? I don't need your help and I don't want it! God!"

Still frowning, the stranger simply put his shirt over her head, arranging it until the hem reached her thighs, though her arms were still inside of it. Videl was fuming, trying to murder him with her deadly glare. She had rarely felt so angered, and given her short temper, that was saying something.

"Just what the fuck is your problem!" she yelled, and started removing the offending cloth – but he wouldn't let her, taking hold of both of her hands to keep them from lifting the hem of his shirt.

"Just take my shirt," he pleaded. "It'll keep you warmer, too. Please."

"I don't want it!" Videl struggled against his hold. Ugh! How could he be so strong, anyway! Why won't he _budge_?

His frown deepened. "Why won't you accept my help? I'm not asking for anything in return."

She snorted. "Pff! Yeah, right! Because you're such a nice guy and you certainly won't try to get in my pants later, huh?"

His sudden embarrassment and the bright blush streaking across his face wasn't the reaction she had expected. He took a step back.

"Wh- _what_? No! No! I'd never… I'm not that kind of guy! I'd never do anything to you that you wouldn't want to! _Never_! You hate me anyway, it's not like I even have a chance! _And I'd never do anything anyway_! I wasn't raised to treat women like that!"

He looked indignant, sputtering his adamant protest through his beet-red face. Was his blush actually going down his throat…? Heh, he looked kinda cute when he was put on the spot. Not that she'd _ever_ admit it. So what if he was attractive, she was still itching to punch him in the face.

"A gentleman? Please," she scoffed, rolling her eyes.

Using his momentum to her advantage, Videl proceeded to take off his shirt again. But he was quick to react and stopped her before she even started lifting it. She growled at him. It didn't seem to faze him much.

"Just keep it. Please," he pleaded again.

"Just leave me alone. Please," she retorted, mocking his tone.

He cracked a smile, which only infuriated her more. Narrowing her eyes to slits, she then attempted to knee him between his legs again, but he easily evaded the deadly blow this time.

"One time was bad enough, thank you very much," he said in a playful tone, his dark eyes twinkling his amusement.

Videl felt a smile twitching the corner of her lips, but she fought it down and forced a frown. Great. Now he was making her laugh. She really needed to get away from him as quickly as possible, or, God forbid, she might start to _like_ him. Hah! As if. He was just a creep anyway.

She moved away from him, and slid her arms into the sleeves. " _Fine_. I'm keeping your damn shirt! _Geez_."

He smiled, and finally put back his orange overshirt on. Not that it made that much of a difference. His muscular chest, shoulders and arms were still bare, and completely in view.

"Well then." Videl turned away to step out from under the canopy and back in the rain, never to see that weird guy again. But once again, he grabbed her wrist to hold her back. She frowned at him. "What now?"

"It might be just a shower. Let's wait it out."

While Videl just wanted to go home, she was tired of arguing with this guy, and for once didn't put up a fight. Wordlessly, she leaned against the wall and slid down onto the hard, humid concrete ground. The tall guy sat down beside her and kept quiet. Good. Maybe she would finally be able to rest a little now.

It didn't last.

"I'm Gohan, by the way," he said softly, turning to look at her.

"I don't care," she responded in a bored tone.

"What's your name?"

"The Devil."

"I mean, your real name."

"I know what you meant."

"Then why…?" Gohan trailed off, and frowned. If she didn't want to tell him her name, she had every right not to.

Silence fell upon them again, only disturbed by the torrential rains hitting the canopy above their heads. At this hour of the night and given the downpour, the streets were naturally deserted; not even a car passed by. Videl glanced at the strange man by her side, who was thoughtfully staring at the rain. He probably wasn't that bad, but he sure was weird. He said he was worried about her, pretty much said he liked her though he didn't even know her, made her wear his damn shirt, and wouldn't even let her leave until the rain stopped. He was unbelievably strong and a very skilled fighter. He seemed like the shy type, yet he also proved to be pretty bold at times. He was attractive. He was built like a god, in the perfect combination of defined muscles and slenderness. He looked her age. He was annoying as hell.

She sighed. He seemed genuine enough, though.

"Videl," she finally said. He blinked, looking at her.

"Huh?"

"You asked for my name. There, you have it now. Happy?"

He grinned and nodded, looking all happy indeed, completely oblivious to her sarcasm. Videl looked away to hide her amusement. What a weird guy. What did she get herself into?

"Videl…" he said softly, as if tasting the name. He chuckled. "Nice pun, Miss Devil."

"Yeah, yeah," she responded in a bored tone.

He didn't say anything else, and Videl wasn't going to complain. Glancing at him once again, she noted how relaxed and pleased he looked, easily contented just by knowing her name. And for the umpteenth time since she met him – Gohan, was it? – Videl thought to herself, _What a weird guy_.

The rain was still hitting the canopy hard, the droplets hammering down their shelter loudly. It didn't look like it was going to stop anytime soon...

"Just a shower, huh?" she muttered.

"Well, I said 'it might be'."

"Just… shut up, will you?"

He cracked a smile, but did as he was told, moving his gaze to the rain. Videl leaned her head back onto the cool, hard wall, and let her eyes slide shut. Finally, silence.

But her mind soon wandered to her fights of the night. The first guy had been easy enough to beat, and Videl figured she got a bit careless with the giant. She shouldn't have gotten so overconfident. She shouldn't have gotten so many bruises from a fighter like him – she was easily stronger, and she could've ended the fight a lot sooner if she'd wanted to. But Videl had always enjoyed ridiculing particularly huge guys. Given how small she looked in comparison, she'd always found beating down that kind of guy, who usually thought she'd be no trouble to squash, downright hilarious. It also gave her a great sense of satisfaction.

She was used to lasting a lot longer, though. She usually ended up to the top, save some rare exceptions in which cases she would just be too tired by the end of it. She'd had no doubt that the outcome of tonight would've pulled her to the top, like usual. If not for Gohan, she was confident she would've won all of her fights.

If not for Gohan, the street fighting wouldn't have ended prematurely tonight, for that matter.

"So that's why you fought like that, huh," she said, concluding her musing out loud. Gohan turned to her and raised his eyebrows.

"Oh, I can speak, now?"

She eyed him suspiciously, but there was no hint of sarcasm in his tone. Was he serious? Did he really wait for her permission to start speaking again?

 _What a weird guy,_ Videl thought to herself yet again.

"You did it on purpose earlier, didn't you?" she went on, discarding his comment. Gohan tilted his head, looking at her questioningly. She clarified: "You wanted to put an end to the street fights."

He smiled; a peculiar, knowing smile, which was all Videl needed to know she was right in her assumption.

"That was the plan, yeah," he confirmed.

Videl frowned. "What for?"

His expression changed to one of surprise, having obviously not expected that kind of question. As if the answer was a given.

"What do you mean, what for?" he frowned. "Because those fights are appalling. Because that kind of brutal violence is unnecessary and barbaric. And because I think there's more than enough violence in the world as is."

He didn't need to clarify what, or rather who he meant by that. A decade had passed since the deadly twins started wreaking havoc in the world, decimating the entire human population little by little, city after town after village. But, while Videl understood his point, Gohan obviously didn't understand hers.

"Why do you think we do that kind of thing?" she asked him. "Why do you think _I_ do it?"

His brow furrowed further, but this time confusion reflected in his eyes. "I honestly don't know. Money?"

She smirked. "Well, the dough is certainly a plus. But there's more to it than just that."

As Videl paused, Gohan turned to her fully and looked at her intently. She had his complete and undivided attention.

"I, for one, have always loved fighting. I enjoy it, and I need it to vent. It makes me feel in control. It makes me feel strong – and precisely because of the cyborgs, I need to feel strong, and to vent, and to feel in control." She looked him in the eyes. They were more serious than she'd ever seen them yet. "Do you get it, now?"

His lips pursed into a thin line. "I do, yes. But I still don't like it."

"Then don't get involved. It might look barbaric to you, but for us – for me – it's our way to feel human."

Gohan sighed, his features relaxed, and he scratched the back of his head. "I guess that's fair…"

They fell silent again. Gohan turned to look at the rain again, a wistful smile curving his lips. Videl looked at the rain, too, and wondered when it was going to stop.

"Can I tell you a secret," Gohan said, his voice soft. Videl eyed him skeptically, an eyebrow raised. "I never enjoyed fighting. So I guess I can't understand why anyone would get a kick out of these street fights."

This took her by surprise. He had to be kidding… He couldn't be serious, could he? How could someone be so good at something they didn't even like? Why would Gohan even learn how to fight in the first place? And, most of all, how could someone who didn't enjoy fighting get to his impossibly high level? His skills and strength seemed almost inhuman… And yet, he was actually telling her that he didn't even like it? It just couldn't be true. It couldn't.

Gohan chuckled. "I know. Shocking, right?" He grinned. "I've actually never told anyone. They probably would've made the same face as you, now, if I'd ever told them that."

Videl straightened herself and frowned. "Why do you fight?"

His smile toned down, and his eyes shone with a peculiar light. It was resignation, Videl realized. And she suddenly had a feeling she knew what his answer would be.

"Because I don't have a choice."

"Who taught you how to fight? How did you learn to fight like that?"

So many questions were rushing to her, Videl felt like she'd never be able to ask them all. Gohan frowned slightly and seemed to ponder whether he should answer her. Videl was aware that he didn't owe her anything, so if he didn't want to tell her, who was she to force him? They just met, after all. Although… he did say he "had a thing for her."

She moved slightly, getting on her knee to face him better, and got a little closer to him. Gohan blushed when she touched his arm. Videl looked him in the eye.

"Tell me. I want to know."

His lips parted, his breathing deepened, his chest heaving in and out a little faster. Then, his eyes broke contact with hers, and looked down, his blush getting darker as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Well… If you really want to know…"

Videl smirked to herself. Men were so easy.

"When I was a kid," he started, "I was thrown in some kind of jungle to fend for myself for six months. Then, since I survived, my mentor started training me… which really consisted of beating me up until I knew how to defend myself."

The young woman raised her eyebrows. What an… odd way to train someone. "Who was it? Your mentor?"

Lifting his gaze to look at her again, Gohan smiled, with a hint of irony. "He was my father's worst enemy at the time."

Her lips parted slightly. "Wha…?"

Gohan chuckled. "He decided to train me because he saw my potential, and became our ally because we had a mutual enemy, back then." His eye softened. "He ended up becoming my best friend."

Videl kept quiet, processing everything Gohan told her, and more questions came rushing to her. But before she could utter one, the young man beat her to it with one of his own.

"What about you? How did you get into fighting?"

"Bah, it's a boring story," she shrugged. "My dad was a wrestling champion, I looked up to him and wanted to learn how to fight, too. Turns out I'm not too bad, so I kept training, became stronger over the years, blah blah blah."

"But you're really strong. You almost got me back there."

She eyed him with a frown. They both knew she only managed to land a hit on him by sheer luck. Was he trying to flatter her? Yet… His expression was as honest and genuine as ever… Gohan looked like he was actually impressed by her skills. But with how strong he was compared to her… Why would he?

"Only because you got distracted," she reminded him. "Besides, you were holding back."

He chuckled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Sorry."

"For what? For being stronger than me? Why would you apologize for that?" She quirked an eyebrow at him, and he gave an awkward smile in response.

Of course, Videl couldn't know of Gohan's natural advantage… He was confident that if she had Saiyan blood, too, she could've easily matched him, and maybe even surpass him. But he couldn't tell her that, could he? He let out a deep sigh.

"Still, you're really strong," he affirmed. "Stronger than all the other guys back there."

"But weaker than you," she countered, an ironic smirk on her lips.

"You'll keep getting stronger."

"Yeah, yeah."

"I mean it. You're really talented. You have a lot of potential."

"Then leave me in a jungle for six months to fend for myself."

Gohan burst out laughing. Gosh, she was so sassy and funny – he loved it. He was truly having fun with her, more than he'd had in a very long time. He grinned, and as his laughter died down, he saw that for the first time since they met, Videl was smiling, albeit mildly.

The young man found himself staring. His lips parted slightly, his cheeks flushed, his heartbeats sped up, his hands grew sweaty. He swallowed. His throat felt so tight and dry.

She was so beautiful.

He wanted to see her smile more. He wanted to be the one who made her smile.

Feeling a bit flustered as her bright blue eyes held his gaze, Gohan turned to look at the rain again.

"Man, it's still raining, huh," he said distractedly.

"Is it? I didn't notice."

He chuckled and glanced her way. She was leaning back against the wall, and her expression seemed more relaxed, more peaceful. Her brow wasn't furrowed anymore, and her mild smile was still curving up her lips, ever so slightly.

Gohan felt a lump rise in his throat again. He'd never thought one could actually feel so attracted to another; he'd honestly thought that kind of thing was just a myth, something to make novels and movies more interesting. And yet here he was, feeling all kinds of foreign things for a gorgeous young woman whom he just met, just like in those novels and movies and TV shows. Was his heart _ever_ going to beat steadily again?

"What?" she asked in amusement. Crap, had he been staring at her for too long? He quickly looked away.

"Nothing."

His face was heating up again. Before tonight, Gohan had never thought so much blood could gather on his face, to the point of overflowing. Then again, before tonight, he'd never had a reason to feel so flustered and nervous.

He fidgeted with his belt, his blush growing darker; he could feel Videl's insistent stare on him. She was enjoying it, he just knew it. She was loving it, making him squirm and blush like some teenage school boy.

And then, a small capsule slipped from the gap between his belt and his orange pants, and they both watched as it softly hit the pavement and rolled in Videl's direction. She picked it up, read the number on the tiny label, and then looked at him in disbelief.

"Is that… a car capsule?"

Her voice was slow and calm, but Gohan could feel the storm coming – and not from the downpour. "I… I did offer to drive you home…" he said weakly, a bit fearful of the deadly aura emanating off of Videl.

"You… You idiot!" she hissed. "Why did you make me wait here like a fool when you have a fucking _car_!"

He held up his hands in a defensive reflex. "I'm sorry! I forgot about it! I can still drive you home," he offered.

She got up, scowling. "Ugh, forget it. I've had it with you. I'm going home, I don't care anymore."

She threw his capsule at him, and Gohan caught it absentmindedly, watching with a stinging pang as Videl left their dry shelter for the pouring rain. His body reacted before his brain could, and Gohan found himself going after her.

"Wait, Videl! Please!"

She didn't stop, taking long and quick strides, away from him. The rain was blurring his vision. But he couldn't let it end like this. He couldn't let her slip away, when he was just starting to get to know her. When he was only beginning to realize just how special she was to him.

He grabbed her wrist. She turned around swiftly and released herself from his hold in a quick movement.

" _What_?"

He opened his mouth to say something – anything, so long as it held her back – but his breath was caught in his throat. The rain was pouring down on them harder than ever, drenching them both to the bone. But Gohan barely took any notice. He couldn't believe this was the end of it. He didn't want it to be the end. He's never met anyone like Videl, so beautiful and feisty, and witty, and strong, and talented, and determined… And boy, he'd never had as much fun with anybody as he had with Videl. He wanted to know more of her. He wanted to see her again.

And yet, it looked as if this could very well be the last he'd ever see of Videl…

The pang in his chest ached more than ever. Gohan kept staring at Videl, unable to think of anything to say to her and hold her back. Panic and desperation took over him, as the idea of never seeing her again crushed him with its unbearable weight.

And then, unable to resist, unable to think of the consequences, unable to think of anything, Gohan grabbed her face between his palms and bent down to plant his lips on hers.

Videl tensed up. Unexpected sensations flowed through her whole being in the most wonderful ways as their lips were sealed. And she forgot she meant to push him away. She responded to his kiss, and he suddenly wrapped her in his strong arms and crushed her against him. His rock-hard body felt delicious. His lips were making her feel all tingly, and her brain all fuzzy and foggy. The world seemed to disappear around them. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer, pushing her tongue into his mouth, tasting him more.

God, it got even better.

She felt completely breathless. He pulled back for just a couple seconds, just long enough to allow them to gasp for some much-needed air, and then seized her mouth again, avidly, hungrily, desperately, while his arms tightened around her. Her lungs were screaming for air, but still she wouldn't stop. It felt too good. She didn't want it to end too soon.

But his lips then detached from her swollen ones and moved down her chin, making their way to the crook of her neck. Videl craned her head, giving him an easier access as Gohan worked on her skin. Her chest heaved deeply, her eyes were tightly shut, and Videl grabbed a fistful of his soaked hair to make sure Gohan didn't stop was he was doing to her. She let out a moan. Her knees were going weak. Her fingers loosened in his hair, and Gohan took the opportunity to kiss her lips again, his tongue finding hers easily.

The pleasure was almost too much. Yet she only craved for more. She'd never felt anything like this from just kissing a guy – it just felt too good, too strong, too mind-bogglingly delicious.

His large hand grabbed her thigh and she wrapped her leg around his midsection. The way her body arched against his rock hard muscles… Ahh…

She cupped his face, ignoring her lungs' plea for air as she kept kissing him. But before long Gohan let go of her lips, panting hard, and pressed his forehead against hers.

The rain was still pouring down on them, but neither of them cared. Gohan let go of her thigh and cupped her cheek instead, planting soft kisses on her lips.

She smiled. The fog in her head seemed to slowly dissipate. Thinking was possible again. The world reappeared from around them. But, as it did, it suddenly hit her – _what the fuck am I doing?_

She pushed him away abruptly, and as he blinked at her in confusion and surprise, she clenched her fist and punched him square in the jaw with everything she had. He stumbled back a bit and touched his jaw with a slight wince.

He sighed. "I guess I had it coming…"

"No shit!" She was fuming. "I can't believe you! Kissing me out of the blue like that… And you even said you wouldn't try anything with me! To think I believed you! But you're just like all of them! Ugh!"

His eyes widened, his face flared up, and he waved his hands in panic. "No no no no no! I'm not! I never – I don't even know what came over me! I just… and you were… I mean…"

She crossed her arms, squinting at him through the thick drops of rain. "You're not making any sense. Speak more clearly."

"I kept thinking that I was never going to see you again," he blurted out, talking quickly. "I was looking at you and I just – you're just so beautiful and I… I couldn't resist. I'm so sorry. I'm really, really sorry. Really."

Her eyes narrowing to slits, Videl scowled at him. And then, she turned on her heels with a huff, deciding that she had wasted enough time with this psycho, and walked away.

"But you kissed me back!" he called after her.

She froze. Her face flushed. She heard him stepping toward her.

"You didn't resist at all. You didn't even try." He was moving closer, and Videl was still turning her back to him – lest he saw her _blush_.

"I was just – caught in the moment," she countered, but it was just a weak excuse and she knew it. She suspected that Gohan knew it, too. Still, she wasn't going to ever admit it, no matter how amazing kissing him had felt. "Don't start getting your hopes up."

"You kissed me back," he said softly, now right behind her. A shiver ran down her spine as she felt his body heat radiating from her back.

"I didn't know what I was doing."

His breath tickled her ear as he teased her, "And you enjoyed it."

"I did not!" she protested furiously and turned around sharply. "It didn't feel good at all!"

He raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Oh, really? Is that why you put your tongue in my mouth?"

She gaped at his bluntness. _Wasn't he supposed to be the shy type?_ She wanted to prove him wrong, she wanted to yell at him, she wanted to punch that annoying grin off his face! God! He was so annoying! So what if his kisses felt too good to be true? It didn't mean anything! It _couldn't_.

His touch on her forehead, his rough fingers gently brushing away her wet, sticky bangs, gave her a shiver. And suddenly, no matter what she did Videl just couldn't look away. She was glued to the spot, only seeing his dark, gentle eyes.

"I enjoyed it," he murmured. "A lot. I've never felt anything like that before."

"Well sorry to bust your bubble, but I hardly felt a tingle," she said, gaining some confidence back, and taking his hand off of her. He only grinned.

"You're lying. And you're not even good at it," he chuckled.

"I am not!" she fussed.

He raised an eyebrow. "Aren't you?"

"Shut up!"

He kissed her again. It happened too fast for her to react – she only felt his lips on hers, and all the wonderful sensations that they brought back. She couldn't even bring herself to resist. Damn him. Damn their unbelievable chemistry. Why did it have to feel so incredible?

"See," he panted, his lips inches from her, his palms cupping her face. "You were lying."

She looked at him. Then took a step back. Turned away from him. Clenched her fists.

This couldn't be happening. It was just chemistry, nothing more. Impossibly good chemistry. That was all. It had to be all there was to it. It had to.

"Stop kissing me," she muttered.

The rain was finally relenting, little by little. It shouldn't be lasting much longer. She was so cold… Videl rubbed her arms.

But then, a sudden warmth enveloped her. Gohan was holding her against him, letting his body heat wash over her. Videl forced herself not to lean back against him, not to enjoy it. Why wasn't she pushing him away?

The rain finally stopped.

"What are you doing, now?" Her voice was feeble. She didn't even have the will to protest more than that.

"You're cold," he whispered. Unknown to her, Gohan was rising his _ki_ ever so slightly to keep her warm.

"Why do you care so much?" Crap, she was leaning into him now… Why was it so hard to resist that guy? How could he affect her so much?

"I care about you." His arms tightened around her waist. Damn it. It just had to feel this good to be in his arms, did it...

"You don't even know me."

"But I want to," he whispered hoarsely, burying his face in the crook of her neck. "I want to see you again."

"I don't," she retorted, without much conviction.

He chuckled, his breath tickling her skin, giving her a shiver. "You're lying again," he said to her ear.

Videl closed her eyes. Damn him. Her throat tightened. She sighed.

"... Maybe."

She could feel his smile against her skin, and Videl felt her stomach burn as Gohan left butterfly kisses along her neckline. She bit down her lips, forcing down a moan.

"My offer still stands, you know," he said softly, still kissing her neck, nibbling the skin slightly. "Let me take you home."

Videl was trembling a little, and decided that replying to him was too risky – lest she started moaning! _Why_ was she letting him do as he pleased?

Why was she even _considering_ taking him up on his offer?

"Is that really how you want it to end? Right here and now?" he murmured, his tone hopeful. "Do you really want to just walk away and get on with your life, never to see me again? Is that really what you want?"

"And then what?" she said faintly. "Get attached to you and then die? Or watch you die? You know it's going to happen sooner than later. Nobody is safe in this destroyed world, not as long as those damn cyborgs are loose and keep on killing. It's all pointless."

Gohan winced, her words stinging him more than he would've liked. He kept silent for a moment, thoughtfully pondering on his options.

Ah, screw it. He had nothing to lose at this point.

"They won't be for long. I'll kill them eventually. I'm getting there."

Cat was out of the bag now… There was no turning back.

Videl turned around in his arms to face him, looking at him warily. "What are you talking about? You can't be… You… Wait…"

She was staring at his gi. His trademark colors. He smiled. What a clever girl.

And then, still holding her firmly against him, Gohan started levitating. She held her breath, and as his feet left the solid ground and he flew higher and higher, he watched Videl's reaction intently. Her features seemed divided. One second she was frowning, and then her eyes widened, and then she looked down, to the ground below them, before looking at him again, frowning in thoughts, and so on and so forth. Gohan smiled at her, partly in amusement, partly in apprehension of what he was about to show her.

But he'd made up his mind.

The transformation was quick, instantaneous. Golden locks swayed in the wind. Teal irises watched the young woman anxiously. And Videl's eyes widened more than before. She gaped at him. Speechless.

His throat tightened. But he had to do this. He had to go all the way. There was no turning back anymore.

"Like I said, I'm getting there. I get stronger with each confrontation, each time I recover from fighting them. I know I can do it, I know I will defeat them. And I'll protect you. No matter what, I'll keep you safe, and I won't let them kill me, either. I won't let it happen."

She breathed deeply. "You…"

Her voice trailed off. She swallowed hard, and it got him worried. He wondered if it was such a good idea to tell her and show her his Super Saiyan transformation, and wondered if she was going to scream or struggle or both, and call him a freak and say she never wanted anything to do with him again. The last thought hurt the most; he may have only met Videl, but that didn't mean he cared about her any less. He let the transformation fade away, turning back to his normal form. She swallowed again.

"You…" she started again. She sounded breathless. "You only just met me… Why are you telling me all this?"

He cracked a smile. "I guess I kinda have a thing for you."

Slowly, she reached up and touched his now black hair in wonder. She smiled slightly. Brushed his cheek with the back of her fingers. "I should've known… Super strong guys don't just run about."

Gohan felt his face heat up from her touch… Who knew she could be so sweet and gentle? Looking into her eyes, he felt like melting.

"You know, you saved my life once," she said softly. He raised his eyebrows. "I was able to escape from one of their attacks while you faced them and kept them busy."

She leaned into his chest, and Gohan held her tighter, burying his face in the crook of her neck. "I'm so glad…"

His voice was hoarse from worry and relief. To think she'd been so close to… To think he might have never met her… He didn't even want to think about the possibility.

They stayed there a while, embracing in the middle of the sky, holding onto each other. Videl wasn't fighting it anymore. She liked it. It felt so nice, being held like this, having his strong arms around her, feeling his crazy heartbeats thump against her ear… His scent mixed with the smell of rain; it soothed her. She was getting sleepy.

"Take me home," she whispered after a while. "I'm so exhausted…"

"Sure," he said happily. She could even _hear_ his grin. Videl chuckled.

ooOoo

Flying in his arms was truly a unique experience. It wasn't like anything else. The wind whipping at her face, the blurry, fast moving scenery from below... and his warmth, his arms… It was a wonder that the simple act of being held in this man's arms could feel so wonderful.

Much too soon, Gohan landed a few steps from her capsule house, even though she suspected that he hadn't flown very fast just so he could prolong the time they had together. Videl hadn't minded, and even regretted having to let go. Her feet touched the ground again, but Gohan still kept her against him, visibly unwilling to let her go.

His rough hand cupped her cheek, contrasting with the gentleness of his touch. His onyx eyes stared at her intently. "I want to see you again."

She smirked. "Well, you know where I live now."

He grinned and blushed, his thumb stroking her cheek tenderly. His voice lowered, as if he hesitated. "Can I… Can I kiss you? Before I go…"

A playful smile curved her lips widely, her blue eyes twinkling with amusement, and Gohan felt his heart ache and his throat tighten. Gosh, she had such beautiful smile…

"Since when do _you_ ask before you kiss?" she teased, and Gohan felt his face heat up instantly, seeming to only realize now just how bold and blunt he'd been with this girl he just met.

It had been out of his control, though. He'd never felt anything like this for someone before. His feelings, although brand new, were already so strong and overwhelming. He really couldn't have helped it.

His eyes fluttered shut when her lips touched his, slowly, gently. Gohan felt like melting. He cupped her face with both of his hands, deepened the kiss, lost himself in those wonderful sensations. Ahh… He never wanted to stop… Kissing Videl felt too good. It was like a drug.

He pressed his forehead to hers, breathing heavily. Damn it. He didn't want to go. He just wanted to stay with her… Always.

But she pulled back from him, and Gohan felt a pang as he thought that it was time to say goodbye.

"You're staying here, right?" he suddenly asked, his throat tightening at the thought of her packing up her capsule house and leaving without a word… "You're not gonna leave this place without telling me, right?"

She smirked. "Well, I do like it here… But," she paused, "you never know."

"But you'd let me know, right? If you were to leave, you'd tell me, right?"

"Mm… Maybe."

He chuckled slightly. "You're really not nice, you know that?"

"Never said I was," she grinned.

He touched her cheek again, taking a moment to gaze upon her. "You're beautiful when you smile."

She blushed and rolled her eyes. "Right. Anyway, I'll get going. See ya, Gohan."

And Gohan just stood there, a little dazed still and hardly believing everything that happened tonight. Videl turned around just as she was about to open the door, rolled her eyes, and made a shooing motion with her arm, "Go home!"

"I'll come back soon!" he called back, starting to levitate again. "I'll definitely come back for you!"

"You're a crazy guy, Gohan!"

He grinned, and inevitably he thought, _Can't deny it. I think I'm already crazy about you._

"Then I'm perfect for you!" he said back. And Videl burst out laughing.

His heart clenched, his face flushed. God, she was so stunning and gorgeous, he had to painfully retrain himself not to rush at her and kiss her, again and again, and do other unspeakable things to her.

"Goodnight, Gohan," she said, stifling more chuckles.

"Goodnight!"

Videl finally got inside, but even as the door closed behind her Gohan just hovered there, unwilling to leave already. His heart was still racing like crazy, and his lips were still tingling from their kisses… God, he wished he could have kissed her more.

He wished he could have kissed her all night.

In the end, Gohan let out a sigh and finally took off, leaving the capsule house behind. But the gorgeous young woman was still all he could think about, her presence was still all he could feel, and, licking his lips, he could almost still taste her.

Boy, he really had it bad, huh. Feeling his grin widen at the prospect of seeing Videl again, Gohan wondered if coming to see her tomorrow would be too soon.

* * *

 _A/N:_ _I originally planned to only submit this fanfic once I've completed it, but I changed my mind. xD I've been planning and plotting for this fic for too long! Haha. (Seriously though, it's been more than two years since I started plotting for it.)_

 _First Future Timeline GhVi fic in a while - and I hope you enjoyed reading this first chapter as much as I did writing it! ^^_

 _ALSO, you should visit my DA gallery for pics I drew based on this story! (Including the kiss the rain~ :D ) I'll be sure to add the link on my bio page quickly. ;)_

 _Drop me a review if you liked it! Or even if you didn't, I'm open to constructive criticism. In any cases, it'd make me very happy. ^_^_

 _Lilly-_

* * *

 _Edit: Forgot to mention my awesome beta reader SilviaS7! A million thanks for her wonderful work! *heart*_

 _By the way, you should check out her fics, too! She's a huge fan of Mirai Trunks, so if you like the Future timeline, you'll definitely like her writing. ^^_

 _(I also took advantage of the edit to correct some typos and stuff that I noticed. I don't think I've got them all, so if you see anything don't hesitate pointing it out to me!)_

 _Thanks for reading! :D_

* * *

 _June 21, 2015_


	2. The Happiest Idiot

_Chapter Two: The Happiest Idiot_

* * *

It was probably for the best that he had to see Bulma in the morning. Though Gohan was dying to go see Videl, he didn't want to appear too clingy. Things had ended pretty smoothly last night despite how they had started, and the young man wasn't going to spoil everything by acting too rashly. No matter how much he craved to hold Videl again.

He knew all the security codes around Capsule Corp., so he had no trouble getting to Bulma's private lab. Humming to himself, he buzzed the intercom and announced his arrival, before simply walking in. Bulma just had the time to cover something big under a white sheet before she turned to him. He knew she'd been working on a project for months, but for now she wasn't sure whether her invention was going to work, whatever it was. So until she knew for certain, Bulma decided not to show anyone what she was working on.

"Hey, Bulma," he greeted cheerfully, still humming to himself as he walked toward the scientific genius. She arched an eyebrow, giving him a look.

"Someone's in a good mood," she commented, a hint of teasing in her tone. "Something good happen?"

Gohan couldn't help it: he grinned wider than ever. Just thinking about Videl and everything that happened last night made him all giddy and cheery, it was just impossible to hide. Why would he, anyway? He was just so _happy_! He wanted the world to know!

"I met someone," he replied truthfully, taking a seat at Bulma's messy desk. He didn't even try to decipher the blueprints she'd been working on like he would usually do. He felt just too happy to care at the moment.

"As in… a girl?" Bulma asked slowly, smirking. Gohan simply nodded.

"She was one of the fighters last night," he explained, that dreamy look still on his face. "And she was definitely the strongest of them all, too. If I hadn't been there, that is."

"So you fought her?"

"Had to. I didn't want to at first but," his grin got wider, "gosh, it was so fun. She's really, really good – and she almost got me for that matter."

Bulma's eyes widened. "Wh-What? You're kidding!"

Gohan shook his head from side to side, still smiling dazedly. "I got distracted by someone in the crowd and she didn't miss a beat: she kicked me in the nuts."

If Bulma had been drinking anything, she would've spat it out and strangled herself laughing. Luckily, she wasn't, and instead she snorted in laughter, before bursting out loudly and holding her stomach.

Gohan didn't care. It was, after all, a pretty funny story – though not when it happened, that was for sure. It'd hurt like hell!

"Oh, my God! She's too awesome!" Bulma laughed, holding onto the desk so as to not to fall over and roll on the floor.

"She sure is," Gohan sighed dreamily.

At last, her laughter died down, but Bulma was still giggling and sniggering for a good minute before she finally calmed down. She grinned at Gohan, who was staring off into space with a glazed look in his eyes.

"My, my, you really have it bad already, huh," she chuckled.

He laughed softly and scratched his hair with an embarrassed smile. "You don't know the half of it."

"Well, as much as I'd love to hear more about her," Bulma began, pulling up another chair to sit down, "I'd like to talk about the clandestine fights first, if you don't mind."

"Ah, about that…" Gohan trailed off, scratching the back of his head with an awkward grin. "I did cut the fights short, but –"

"Good!" Bulma didn't let him finish, leaning back in the chair with a pleased look. "I really didn't like the sound of those fights."

"Bulma, listen…"

"You're going to have to find their other locations," Bulma continued, either not hearing his plea for attention or simply ignoring it. "We have to stop these street fights, once and for all."

"I won't."

His abrupt, final tone made the blue-haired scientist pause, and then she frowned at him. "What do you mean, you won't? We can't possibly let them fight each other like that. I thought we agreed on this, Gohan?"

"We did," he replied calmly. His earlier euphoria was dimming down, and he looked at Bulma in all seriousness. "But we didn't take into account that they actually need the fights. Videl said she needed it to vent. She made some valid points. They like it, Bulma, and they need it to forget about the terror of the cyborgs. We can't take that away from them."

Gone was the mirth that shone in Bulma's light blue eyes just a minute ago. She was scowling at him now, looking neither convinced nor happy about his little speech.

"Videl? That's her name? Did you let your little crush get to your head and cloud your judgment?" Bulma sneered, and stood up, turning away from him as she gathered the blueprints on her desk and started stacking them neatly. He knew that his friend became kind of a neat freak whenever she was upset. "I'm disappointed in you, Gohan. I didn't think you could be so easily manipulated."

Now it was Gohan's turn to frown. "It's not a mere crush, Bulma, and my judgment is perfectly fine, thank you very much. Unlike you, I know how fighting can help you let out all your negative feelings. You can't understand."

It was ironic how just last night, with Videl, he'd so easily admitted that he actually didn't get it because he didn't even enjoy fighting in the first place. But though he didn't really like it, Gohan did know how good you could feel after a nice workout – the liberating fatigue taking over, the tension leaving your tired muscles, and the sense of peace washing over while you try to catch your breath. Fighting wasn't all bad, and in some cases, it was a necessity.

"You're right, I never understood you brutes," she spat, straightening herself to look at him again, her features hardening. "Fine. If you don't want to stop these fights, don't. I'll find another way to put an end to it."

"No, Bulma," Gohan stood up and grabbed her arm. "I don't want you to meddle. It's their business, and if they want to fight each other for money, it's their right."

"It's not legal," she retorted, her eyes firing flames.

"Really? That's your argument?" He shook his head in disbelief and let go of her. "Who cares at this point?"

"I do."

"You'll just have to live with it. Like I do."

"Well that's not good enough!" Bulma countered, her voice rising. "Don't we have enough fighting and violence in our lives already? Haven't we had enough losses? What if someone dies during a fight? What if someone already has? There are no rules, Gohan! Killing each other is an option for them – and I'll never allow it!"

Gohan let out a deep sigh, running his hand through his hair, and plopped back into his chair. "I know how you feel, Bulma. But it's really not that bad. They only fight until one of them is knocked out, nothing else. Yes, it's brutal and messy, and no, I don't like it, if I'm honest – but it's none of our business, and we should just let them do as they please. Let them enjoy themselves the way they want. They should be allowed to have at least that."

Bulma watched him with a severe frown, but she wasn't glaring at him anymore; she looked thoughtful, and hopefully she was finally considering his reasons... Gohan held her gaze, trying to get his point across with his eyes alone. In the end, she sighed as she sat back down.

"I still don't like it."

Gohan cracked a smile. That was, word for word, exactly what he'd told Videl when she was trying to convince him, last night. "I know, and neither do I. And we don't have to like it. Let's just stay out of it."

"Fine…" Bulma didn't look pleased to utter her consent, not one bit, but at least he'd managed to stop her from most likely doing something really stupid. With her genius mind, almost nothing was impossible for someone like her, and it was a terrifying thought sometimes.

After a while of sitting in silence, Bulma stood up and walked to the counter on her right.

"Coffee?" she offered, then corrected herself before he could respond. "Sorry, forgot you don't drink it. How about a cup of tea, then?"

"That sounds nice, thank you," Gohan smiled.

His hostess busied herself at the kitchen counter of the lab – there was a mini fridge, a microwave, cupboards, a sink, and of course her faithful coffee maker. Bulma lived for that stuff. Gohan didn't like the taste. Too bitter. It also tended to make him a little too hyper. Besides, with his Saiyan genes he didn't even need that much sleep not to feel groggy, so why drink something he didn't like? Tea tasted much nicer.

While he waited, the young man found himself thinking about the beautiful raven-haired fighter once again. He closed his eyes and smiled to himself, replaying in his head every single moment he'd spent with her. He didn't want to forget even one tiny little detail. He wanted to imprint everything in his mind, from the way her magnificent blue eyes sparkled with fire and hot-headedness, to her sassy comebacks, her glares, her rare smiles… and the way her lips tasted, and her skin, and her scent, mixed with the smell of rain, and how her curves felt, pressed up against him…

He'd never felt anything like that before; the urge to feel that woman close to him, to touch her; the overpowering, demanding need to hold her, to kiss her, and even…

His face flushed slightly. The kettle whistled, and not long after he sensed Bulma's movements as she came in his direction; the clinking of the cups indicated that she was carrying a tray. Gohan opened his eyes, just as Bulma placed the tray on her newly organized desk, offering him his cup of tea while she herself held her brewing, bitter beverage with both hands, inhaling it deeply with a content sigh. Gohan simply left his cup on the desk, waiting for it to cool down a bit.

Eyeing him over her cup of coffee, Bulma smirked. "Thinking about her again, huh? What was her name again? Videl?"

Gohan grinned. He really couldn't help himself. "Uh-huh."

"So, what's she like?"

"She's gorgeous," he replied without missing a beat, and let out a dreamy sigh. "She's sassy, and witty, and fun… Gosh, so much fun…" His lips stretched out in a silly smile, his eyes glazed over. "And she has the most beautiful, amazing blue eyes I've ever seen…"

"Gee, thanks." Bulma mocked a hurt expression, and Gohan just grinned wider.

"Sorry, Bulma. But it's actually not the same hue at all. Yours are more… greenish, and her eyes… Gosh, her eyes…"

Bulma rolled her own pair of very different blue eyes. "Alright, we got it. You're completely head over heels in love with her."

Gohan let his forehead press against the metallic desk, letting out a sigh. "You may be joking and all, but I really think I am… And it's crazy because I just met her, I don't even know her last name. But she's just so…" He crossed his arms over his head, his voice coming out muffled as he went on. "Haa… I want to see her already…"

Bulma blinked, clearly not expecting him to feel this strongly about a girl he barely knew.

"They're kinda dark blue, like the ocean... with a hint of purple…" he mumbled against his arms. It took Bulma a second to realize that he was talking about the girl's eyes. Then, he lifted his head slightly, looking at Bulma with pleading eyes over his crossed arms. "Bulma, what's happening to me? Is it supposed to feel so… so…?"

"Intense? Overwhelming? Like a punch in the gut?"

He sighed. "Yeah." He closed his eyes, pressing his lips to his arms, his voice coming out muffled once again. "Ahh… I want to kiss her again…"

Bulma gaped. She tried to make a sound, to react in some way, but she was utterly speechless. She stared at the young man, and sucked in a breath as she tried to make her voice work.

"You… you kissed her? Already…?"

Gohan didn't reply right away. "Yeah… And she actually kissed me back. Though, she ended up punching me, too." He closed his eyes. "And I told her about me. I turned Super Saiyan."

"Wo-wo… W-wait… Say _what_?" Bulma was flabbergasted. What the hell happened to Gohan last night? It wasn't like him to act so brash and forward… Though, if you counted him fighting 17 and 18, that was pretty much the way he'd always faced them. He could be so reckless when lives were in danger.

She supposed that in this case, it was his own life that was at stake.

"She was saying how it'd be pointless to see each other again because of the cyborgs," He explained, "so I told her I'll kill them someday, and that I'll protect her no matter what. And then I transformed."

Bulma stayed silent. Or maybe she lost the ability to speak again, she wasn't sure. To think that Gohan told a girl he just met his biggest secret… She must be really something, that Videl.

"I want to go see her, right now," Gohan continued, still talking into his forearms. "But I don't want to scare her off with how strongly I feel about her."

"Yeah, you probably shouldn't tell her what you just told me, at least not yet," Bulma nodded with a small smile. "But I don't see why you couldn't go see her. You could say you just wanted to check up on her."

He looked thoughtful. "I guess…"

And then suddenly he stood tall, a determined look lighting up his black orbs.

"You're right. I can do that," he said firmly. "I can go see her." And then he smiled brightly at her. "Thanks, Bulma!"

She barely had time for a "you're welcome", for Gohan was already out of the lab, obviously too eager to see the girl who turned his head upside down to care about anything else. She shook her head and let out a soft chuckle. To think her little Gohan had fallen in love… She still remembered the first time she saw his cute, chubby little face. Hiding behind his daddy's leg, shyly looking up at the strangers who were all wondering where the little kid came from. Bulma grinned at the memory. No one could have fathomed that Goku had become a dad. Naïve, clueless, silly Goku, with a child. That was insane.

She chuckled to herself and sipped on her coffee absent-mindedly. To think, Goku must have been about Gohan's age, now, when his son was born. Would Gohan want kids too?

She was getting ahead of herself. As hard as he'd fallen for that girl, he'd only just met her. And who knew if that Videl would even want kids… Why was she thinking about Gohan's possible parenthood, anyway? Sure, he was like a son to her, and having chubby little feet running about again would be nice… But in the world as it currently was, would it even be a good idea to bring a new, innocent life into it?

She was truly happy for Gohan, though. God knew the boy needed to chill and take a break from fighting the cyborgs. She hadn't him smile like that since… Actually, Bulma had never really seen Gohan smile like that. She giggled to herself. That dreamy look on his face… He was just too precious.

Bulma's thoughts were cut short, and she blinked. His cup of tea lay untouched on the desk.

ooOoo

Trunks felt his heart tighten in his chest, and he looked up at the sky, as if he was seeing something only he could make out.

"Not again…" he muttered helplessly.

His fists clenched at his sides, and the young boy looked down. He wanted to go help. He had to help! Trunks gritted his teeth. Why did Gohan have to forbid him to face the cyborgs? What was he to do, just stay here with his arms crossed while people were getting killed, even though he had the power to help? But Gohan said he wouldn't train him anymore if Trunks disobeyed, and Trunks needed his teacher to become a better fighter.

He closed his eyes, following the battle currently taking place in the East with his acute senses. Gohan's _ki_ was burning with raw power as he fought against the soulless, _ki_ -less monsters. Maybe this time… Maybe Gohan was finally going to beat them…

But it was two against one, and the twin terrors had no qualms about using their advantage of numbers. Trunks' heart sank. Gohan's energy was steadily dropping… while the cyborgs' were known to be limitless.

With a burst of golden aura, the boy took off to the sky. He didn't care about Gohan's orders. He didn't care about anything anymore. He had to help him, and he knew he could. He may still be a kid, and he was weaker and less experienced, but he was a Super Saiyan too! It had already been two years since he could turn into a Super Saiyan, and he was plenty strong too! If he teamed up with Gohan, like the cyborgs teamed up, perhaps then they'd stand a chance. He had to try! He had to save Gohan!

ooOoo

He definitely had a few broken ribs. His head felt dizzy too, but Gohan gave it a sharp shake, and from the crater his fall had made, glared up at the evil duo floating in the air. He clenched his fists tightly, summoning more power from the Super Saiyan transformation, and then kicked off into the sky with a battle cry, rushing the cyborgs with everything he had.

He struck 17 with a kick across his face, and while 18 laughed at her brother, Gohan managed to land a few hits on her.

"Tch," she spit, blocking his upcoming punch with her forearm.

On cue, her brother grabbed him from under his arms and kept him locked in a bear hug. 18 smirked and slapped him. Once, twice, three times, and she kept going; she looked like she was really enjoying herself. Gohan was starting to see light spots, and his face burned. His hair flickered back and forth from gold to black.

She grabbed his face roughly, pinching his swollen cheeks together with her hand, and grinned evilly. "Hey, don't pass out just yet, we're still not done with you. You're such a good stress reliever, Gohan."

With an almost imperceptible sign to her brother, he finally loosened his hold on Gohan – but before the Super Saiyan could regain his bearings, he was hit by a sharp blow to his back and stumbled forward; he managed to still himself just in time to block 18's flurry of strikes. But 17 wasn't going to let his sister have all the fun to herself, and soon, Gohan found himself overwhelmed by their joint attack.

If only there were just one of them… Gohan knew that if he could fight them just one at a time, he could seriously make a difference. But there was no way the cyborgs would play fair – they had an advantage and were too happy to use it.

He could barely tell how many hits hammered down on him, striking him from all sides and hurling him across the sky from one sibling to the other. Gohan tried to balance himself; he tried to dodge, and block, and counter, but he was barely holding his own. He was doing his best, but it just wasn't enough – and with a combined punch from both 17 and 18, he was propelled to an office building and crashed through the windows, glass shards cutting his skin and adding to his already countless injuries.

At least the building had been evacuated, he thought to himself in comfort, as his transformation faded. He was barely conscious, but enough to hear the _swoosh_ that the twin monsters made as they flew up towards the building he'd crashed into.

"Aww, you're already out?" complained 17 in a mocking tone.

"What a shame," 18 sighed dramatically. "I wasn't nearly done slapping you around."

Gohan suddenly widened his eyes, and with great effort he stood up again, gritting his teeth and grunting, and turned Super Saiyan again with a loud, powerful yell. The earth trembled, pieces of concrete wall, broken furniture, and broken glass rose from the ground as the golden aura around him shone brighter and wider.

"Ohh… How nice," 17 cooed in mock awe. "I do like shiny things."

18 smirked. "Guess you still got some fight in you, huh? Good. That's how I like my men."

But Gohan couldn't care less about their banter. His mind was elsewhere. To be more precise, it was closely following the flaring energy of his young friend, and Gohan was not happy about it.

 _Damn it, Trunks! Don't come here!_ he screamed in his head, wishing he could stop the ten-year-old Super Saiyan from butting in with the sole power of his mind. If he died, and then Trunks died, then who would be left to save the world from those vile cyborgs? Why couldn't the kid just do as he was told and stay put! Why did he have to as stubborn as both his parents _combined_?

His jaw tensed and Gohan clenched his fists, his aura brightening as he let his _ki_ explode to its maximum.

"Aw, don't look at us like that. And you looked so happy earlier, too," 17 mocked with a smirk.

Gohan's teal eyes hardened more than ever. Yes, earlier, he couldn't have been happier. He'd been on his way to see Videl, grinning ear-to-ear, when he suddenly found himself crashing into the buildings of the city he'd been flying above. Needless to say, his good mood had evaporated instantly. He hadn't needed to look up to know who attacked him and immediately transformed as he screamed at the city's residents to evacuate _right now_.

He'd tried to move their fight away from the innocent people, and he did everything he could do, but the losses were still too high... Using his anger to fuel his power, Gohan suddenly took off at them and attacked. He wasn't going to let anything happen to anyone else, not if he could help it, and certainly not to Trunks.

"Don't you wonder what had him so happy, sis?" 17 asked his twin casually, easily dodging Gohan's punches.

"Heh, who cares?" With a roundhouse kick, 18 send Gohan crashing on the sidewalk, creating yet another crater. She tucked her rebel strands behind her ear as the Super Saiyan struggled to get back up.

"Oh, I know!" The black haired cyborg smirked as he turned to her, wriggling his eyebrows. "Maybe he finally _became a man_."

The hint of amusement danced in the blonde's icy blue eyes. "Who do you think is the lucky gal? Some tramp he saved from us, probably?"

The punch happened so fast, and she'd been too unprepared to manage a block. She was sent flying, but 18 stopped her course mid-air and spit a mix of saliva and blood. Her glare screamed murder as it locked onto the livid Super Saiyan.

And then 17 burst out laughing. He was holding his stomach and crouching over, and tears were coming out from under his lids. Then something hit his spine, and he was hurled into a building. It barely fazed him, and the cyborg just kept laughing his head off among the smoke and rubble.

"I can't believe it! _I was right_!" he managed to say between bouts of hysterical laughter.

18 smirked. "So, was she good? _Wait_ , maybe it's a _he_? That'd be a bummer. I swear it's always the hot ones."

Gohan gritted his teeth. God, he'd never wanted to kill those things so badly. How dared they...? 17's laugh was making his blood boil, and he threw an energy blast at the cyborg, hoping to stop the racket.

17 grinned evilly and jumped from his position while the blast collided with the building and obliterated it completely.

"My, my, Gohan, what a temper. I do hope some people were still inside."

His heart sank. Gohan swallowed. What an idiot! He didn't even check the perimeters before launching that attack… He had let his rage take over and now… But, no, the city was pretty much deserted, and had been for a good hour already.

But… "pretty much" didn't mean "for sure"... Oh god… What if… What if he actually...

His self-berating was cut short when Trunks arrived, in all of his Super Saiyan glory. Gohan glared at him severely and yelled at him to go home _right now_.

"But I can help!" protested the young warrior.

"No, you can't! And you _won't_!" retorted Gohan through gritting teeth. He didn't have time to deal with this right now. "Leave, Trunks, RIGHT NOW!"

"Don't we have a say in it?"

18 had appeared behind Trunks, but the young boy was quick enough to dodge her chop. Despite Trunks' disobedience, Gohan felt pride swell in his chest. Trunks had so much potential.

Which was precisely why he needed to leave right now! If anything happened to the boy, Gohan would never be able to forgive himself.

He rushed the female cyborg, but her brother flew right in front of him, stretching his arms out to stop him. "Not so fast, hotshot. I wouldn't get in 18's way if I were you."

Gohan scowled darkly, and he attacked.

ooOoo

Videl knew praying was pointless in their miserable world, but she couldn't help joining her hands and closing her eyes as she sat at her kitchen counter and listened to the radio's news flash.

Gohan had been fighting for over two hours. Brown City had evacuated thanks to him, but Gohan was still out there facing the cyborgs, and the brave – or stupid – reporters were staying by the outskirts to let the world know what was happening. The battle was so intense that even from miles away, they could still feel it going on, and sometimes even see the fighters go at it, high up in the sky.

To make matters even worse, a young boy with similar golden hair had taken part in the battle and was actually fighting the cyborgs. It was reported that the man had screamed at the boy when he arrived, sounding angry, and Videl had no doubt that Gohan didn't want to see the kid anywhere near the evil twins.

Silently – uselessly, most likely – Videl muttered a prayer over and over. She _knew_ it was a bad idea to get attached. It was all Gohan's fault! She didn't know how, but somehow he'd managed to make her _care_ about him. If only she hadn't met him… If only she could go back to simply worrying for the mysterious fighter, wishing he could finish off those monsters… If only she could go back to before she met Gohan, before last night… Before his smiles, his voice, his touch, his scent, his kisses… If only she could just go back.

But it was already too late. She cared about him. Somehow, after only one meeting, Gohan had worked his way into her heart, and now it ached at the thought of never seeing him again.

 _"_ _The area seems to have calmed down…"_ the reporter on the radio said in a low voice, as if speaking too loudly would attract the cyborgs even from miles away. _"We just got the okay to get closer; the satellites have confirmed that the cyborgs have left. We hope that the mysterious fighter has also managed to get away, but he might be knocked out somewhere… Hopefully he and the young boy are alright…"_

Videl buried her head in her crossed arms, her shoulders shaking. _Please, be alive. Please, please, please… You promised me. You promised…_

She listened intently as the crew drove through the now ghost-like city, when just minutes ago it was utter chaos as the battle had raged on. The male voice kept commenting on their way in a quiet, worried voice. Videl swallowed thickly, staring at the radio set over her crossed arms. Her eyes began to sting.

 _"_ _We are nearing the battlegrounds, as we see more and more craters, dented buildings, and destruction,"_ the reporter continued. _"I honestly don't know how our mysterious hero can handle the cyborgs, but we pray he is alright. He's our only hope in this destroyed world…"_

Videl stood up abruptly, suddenly too tense to stay in her seat. Still staring hard at the radio set, she leaned over on the counter, her fingers turning white as she held onto the surface as if her life depended on it.

She swallowed. She really was in too deep with that guy already, huh? Damn him. She should've just stayed in bed yesterday.

 _"_ _The kid is alright!"_ the reporter exclaimed in relief. Fast steps could be heard as he and his crew ran. _"He's in bad shape, but he's trying to crawl to… YES! The mysterious fighter!"_

Her throat tightened. Her lips quivered. _Please be alive. Damn it Gohan, you better not die on me or I swear…_

" _He's unconscious, but alive! Don't worry, kid, we're here to help you,"_ he added, obviously speaking to the boy. There were background sounds, as the crew seemed like they were moving the injured onto stretchers. _"It's gonna be alright!"_

Videl crouched down and broke into sobs. Oh, thank God… He was _alright_! They were _alive_! She hugged herself as she cried in relief, the tension finally leaving her along with the tears.

It seemed like hours had passed when Videl finally cried herself out. She lay on the cold hard floor, staring blankly at the ceiling with puffy red eyes, traces of dried tears on her cheeks and temples.

Her heart felt lighter.

She'd forgotten how cathartic crying so hard could feel. Back when she'd lost everything, when the cyborgs had attacked Orange Star City six years ago and destroyed everything… It was the last time she ever saw her father. Videl didn't even know what became of him. He had forced her to take all of their savings, an air-car, and ordered her to leave and save herself. She'd wanted to take her friends with her, or _him_ , for that matter, but her dad wouldn't let her waste any time, not even a second. He said he would be okay. She didn't believe him, but pretended like she did, and cried as she hugged him goodbye.

"I'll find you again, Sweet Pea," he'd told her softly as he held her tightly. "We'll be together again, and I'll bake you your favorite chocolate chip cookies. How does that sound?"

She hadn't wanted to let go, but he forced her to take the air-car and drive away. She was only thirteen, but she had the traditional learner's permit for youths her age. At that moment, she had wished she'd never taken the driver's test.

It was the last time she ever saw her father. And the last time she'd cried. Until today.

"Ahh… I'm getting too emotional," she sighed, sitting up slowly. She rubbed her eyes, stood up, and moved over to the kitchen sink. She splashed her face with cold water several times, and then let out a sigh, holding onto the aluminum basin and letting the water drip from her soaked skin without drying herself.

She stood there for who knew how long, her mind a cloudy mess, watching the drops of water hit the sink. Her face was almost dry when she came to, and Videl didn't bother drying it completely. She looked outside, worry shining in her blue eyes.

What if the cyborgs attacked this city soon? Brown City was awfully close… She might have to move again.

But Gohan…

She scowled at her reflection in the window's glass. It was _his_ fault she was such a mess, and now she couldn't even leave for a more secure area just because _he_ wouldn't be able to find her if she moved away? What next? Was she going to wait for him to come back home with a hot meal on the table? Like hell! She was an independent woman and she wasn't going to let a man rule her choices in life!

And who cared if he could make her knees tremble? Who cared how amazing his kisses felt? And who cared about his adorable smiles? She didn't need him! She was Videl Satan, and she didn't need anyone!

Muttering to herself, Videl went to her room, fully intent on packing a bag for the trip. She got one out from under her bed, placed it on the mattress, and walked to her closet to take a few changes of clothes with her, just in case it took too long to find a new town. She would need supplies, too.

But Videl just stood there and stared at the hanging clothes, the knot in her stomach tighter than ever. If she left now, it would be over. Gohan had no other way of finding her, and she had no idea where to find him either. He might be able to see her at the street fights, but that was like looking for a needle in a haystack; the fights happened pretty much all over the world, everywhere.

If she left now, Gohan would become just a memory. The memory of the strangest, and yet the most amazing night of her life.

She tried to move, telling herself that it would be better this way. Why risk it? She'd never wanted to get close to anyone, let alone feel… No, she really had to leave. It was too dangerous to see Gohan again. If after only one night, she cared this much already… She really shouldn't risk it. If she saw Gohan again, and spent more time with him, and got to know him better… It was just too dangerous.

She could actually fall for him.

Videl heaved out a deep sigh, and shut the closet door; her shoulders slumped in defeat. She was in deep shit, wasn't she?

She glared at her reflection in the mirror of the closet door, her brow creasing. "Okay, Gohan, I'll wait until you've healed," she said firmly. "I don't know where the cyborgs are going to attack next – it could be here, it could be anywhere else. But I'm taking the risk. So you better hurry and get better. I won't wait forever."

ooOoo

This was bad. How much morphine had they wasted on him? He could take the pain; he'd had much worse. That was why Gohan hated hospitals. They would always waste their supplies on him, when his Saiyan genes were more than enough to quicken his healing process. Half of him was _made_ for battle. He could take it, and he could take so much worse. They'd better save their supplies and take better care of Trunks and their other patients. Gohan didn't want to stay, but his body was too numb from all the painkillers the IV was injecting in his system.

Damn it. Damn it. He didn't need to be here!

His mind was a little foggy, but he was conscious and forcing himself to stay alert despite the medication. It was strenuous, but Gohan was honestly terrified to let go and fall asleep again. He knew he should get some rest, but Gohan couldn't care less. He didn't want to stay in the hospital. He didn't want to relax. He wanted to leave. He wanted to get away.

He wanted to see Videl.

He wasn't even in that bad a shape – seriously, this was _hardly_ the worst. It wasn't even in the top fifty! Didn't the doctors realize that he was _fine_? Couldn't they stop wasting their medicines on him? Damn it. Damn it!

Gohan tried to move. His body wasn't complying, but the young warrior wasn't going to give up without a fight. His fingers twitched, and Gohan kept trying, reaching for the call button. It felt like hours when he was finally able to press the button, hoping a doctor or a nurse will hurry and come.

Someone came almost instantly. Gohan almost felt like smiling. The young woman gasped in surprise and was about to leave again, most likely to call for a doctor, but Gohan had other plans.

"W… W… Wait…" he forced out, his faint voice muffled by the oxygen mask attached to his face. The nurse seemed to hesitate, and Gohan commanded his left hand to move, struggling to beckon her over.

She approached him cautiously, and Gohan kept motioning her to come closer, so that she could hear what he wanted to ask.

"P… Please…" he croaked out. "Less… morphine…"

She frowned, and grabbed his patient chart at the footboard of his hospital bed. Damn it, this wasn't working. Why couldn't she just lower his damn morphine? He could barely talk because of the dose! It was too much!

"Considering your injuries, if I give you less morphine you are going to be writhing in pain," she said in a serious, professional tone.

"Pl… Please… It's… too much…"

He tried to sound even more desperate than he felt, holding out his hand to her helplessly. _Come on, come on_ … he thought hopefully, as if he could influence the nurse to help with the sole power of his will.

"Are… Are you sure…?" She took a few unsure steps towards the bag of morphine.

"Please…"

Yes! She was reaching for the bag! _Finally_! Now, he just needed to be a little patient… With his Saiyan genes, it shouldn't take him more than, what, twenty minutes? And then he'd finally be able to move properly again – or at least, a lot better than _now_ , that was for sure.

"Thank… you…" he heaved out.

"I… I'm still going to have to inform your doctors about it…" the nurse said, sounding worried.

"N-No… Please…" Gohan managed to utter out in desperation. If she told the doctors, it would ruin everything! They would be sure to give him too much morphine again, and Gohan _needed_ to keep a clear mind. "Please… I'm... fine." He exhaled – speaking so much in his current condition was still too much for him. "I'm... fine...Really…"

Her brow creased in thoughts, and Gohan anxiously hoped that she would listen to him. "Well… I guess… If you're sure…?"

"Yes…" He smiled in relief. "Thank you… so much…"

The blonde haired nurse blushed slightly, nodded her head, and then left. Gohan closed his eyes. Okay. Now, he just had to wait and be patient for a little bit longer.

ooOoo

Bulma was crying, holding her little boy's hand in both of hers.

"M-Mom… I'm fine, really…" Trunks tried hesitantly. He sighed. He really was fine. Gohan was in a much worse state… He frowned.

And it was his fault.

Trunks had honestly thought he would be able to help. He thought his strength mattered, that he could make a difference if he teamed up with Gohan. But in the end, he was just a hindrance to his friend, who had had to protect _him_ while also fighting off the cyborgs.

Man, he sucked.

"I'm sorry, Mom…" he tried again, patting her head awkwardly with his free hand. "I promise I won't get involved again."

"I d-don't want you to f-fight… e-e-ever again!" she hiccupped, tears still flowing down her cheeks.

"But _Mom_! You can't be serious!" Trunks exclaimed in panic. "With Gohan, I'm the only one who will _ever_ have a chance to kill the cyborgs! Don't you want us to bring back the peace?"

She glared at him through shining eyes. Bulma let go of his hand and wiped her face, and her features hardened as she looked back at her son.

"Gohan is enough," she stated, her tone final, despite the trembling of her voice. "He can do it without you."

Trunks gaped at his mother. "You… You can't be serious! I can't just let him risk his life and do nothing! He's my best friend! He can't do it alone, he needs me!"

"No, he doesn't. You may be a Super Saiyan, Trunks, but so was your father, and that didn't stop 17 and 18 from killing him and everyone else. They only let Gohan live because they're bored."

"That's why they didn't kill me, either!"

The chair clanked loudly behind Bulma, who stood beside the bed and looked at her son harshly. "I said, you won't fight again, Trunks. And that's final. You disobeyed us, and Gohan warned you. No more fighting for you, ever."

"But that's not fair!" Trunks couldn't believe what his mother was saying. How could she selfishly forbid him from getting stronger when he was one of their only chances of ever killing 17 and 18?

"Life isn't fair," Bulma said with a bitter smile.

"Well I'm still gonna train!" Trunks exclaimed heatedly, moving the covers off of him and standing up to face his mother. "I don't care if I have to train by myself, but you can't stop me!"

Bulma stared at him, her mouth parted. And then her face hardened and her fist clenched. She was about to retort to her disrespectful child when two nurses and a doctor rushed into the hospital room.

"What's going on?" the middle aged man asked, looking from the mother to the son with stern eyes. "You, young man, should stay in bed," he added to Trunks, frowning at the ten-year-old.

"I'M _FINE_ , ALREADY!" Trunks shouted, and then swiftly tore his intravenous off his arm. Before anyone could react or try to stop him, a burst of golden flames pushed them away and the Super Saiyan boy flew out of the window.

As they all stared after the open window in shock, an alarm went off. The doctor and the nurses scrambled to their feet and went to the hallway to ask what was happening; Bulma was still too shocked at her son's behavior to follow suit, and simply turned her head to look at the hospital people running outside the open door.

"The man in room two-fifty-six – he's trying to break free! We can't hold him down!"

"WHAT?! Not him, too!" the middle-aged doctor exclaimed in exasperation, running toward the room in question along with his colleagues.

Bulma blinked. And then it clicked in her head, and she was running after the doctors and nurses to Gohan's room. That idiot! Couldn't he just stay put and _rest_ for once in his life? Damn it! What was wrong with those Saiyans? Couldn't they even take the time to recover like everyone else? Ugh!

At the sight she came across in the hospital room, Bulma wasn't sure if she should laugh or scream at Gohan.

"Please! Stop trying to hold me down, I don't want to hurt you!"

Five big male nurses, three doctors, two security guards, and more men coming in were all trying to stop the injured half Saiyan in a hospital gown from jumping out of the window. Gohan had torn off the IV from his arm, and was trying to keep the men ganging up on him away without harming anyone – but even when he finally managed to rid himself of some, two or three more always ended up leaping at him again. And Gohan, gentle soul that he was, wouldn't ever use his strength on them.

His steps seemed a bit unbalanced; obviously, he was still pretty weak after the beating he'd gotten from the cyborgs, and yet he still had no trouble pushing back all the men leaping at him at once. He was just a little overwhelmed by their numbers, not to mention at a disadvantage because he didn't want to hurt anyone.

Bulma finally found her voice.

" _OhmyGod_ , Gohan! Just get back in bed!" she yelled.

Everybody froze and looked at her, as if she had pressed _pause_ on a recorded movie. But then Gohan was out of the window in a flash, having come to his senses quickly and using the distraction she'd created, and Bulma cursed under her breath. Shit! She couldn't believe she'd actually _helped_ him escape! And she was supposed to be a goddamn genius!

UGH! Saiyans!

ooOoo

"Bingo!"

Good thing the hospital threw away the torn clothes of the patients in plastic bags. Gohan hadn't even needed to look for it in the trash container either! Since it hadn't been long, the plastic bag with his torn _gi_ lay on the top of the hospital's garbage inside the container. Gohan simply reached out, and grinned as his fingers closed around the transparent bag. Man, that was some luck. He'd been afraid of not being able to find his training gear, but as it seemed he'd worried for nothing.

After all, Gohan couldn't possibly go to see Videl in this hospital gown, now could he? It'd been embarrassing enough that he'd had to hold off the hospital men butt naked. His _gi_ may be torn and in shreds, but it was always better than… this _thing_. Sure, he could've made a quick stop to his place and picked up another change of clothes, but really, Gohan felt like it would just be a waste of time. He didn't want to wait any longer: he had to see Videl. And besides, he still felt pretty weak; making the trip all the way to West City and then back to Videl's place would just exhaust him more.

He sneaked to a deserted, narrow alley, making sure no one saw him in this horrid hospital gown, and quickly tore the plastic bag open. He frowned slightly; the top was tattered beyond repair to be of use, but at least his _gi_ pants would still be covering his midsection. That was sure more than what this ugly, greenish gown with white spots covered.

Gohan lost no time taking it off and putting on his torn orange _gi_ pants. He couldn't believe his luck that the doctors had also thrown away his fighting boots even though they weren't in too bad a shape.

Okay, he was ready this time. Well, Videl would probably be alarmed by all the bandages covering his body and his head, but he'd just have to reassure her that he was fine. And he really was. The doctors had done a good job despite wasting so much medication on him; his bandages kept his ribs securely in place, and honestly, apart from some stinging sensations here and there, he barely felt any pain.

Smiling to himself as he thought of Videl, Gohan started hovering; he didn't want to attract the unwanted attention of the nearby bystanders by taking off too abruptly, and he was also taking it easy on himself. He would need to save his energy if he wanted to make the trip to Videl's place.

ooOoo

Videl eyed the old man standing behind the stall. She liked apples, but he was asking for way too much. Sure, she could pay; she had savings from her winnings at the street fights, but that didn't mean she was going to start giving her money out for charity. It was a harsh world, and she was trying to get by the same way as anyone else.

"Ten zenis for a kilo? I'll give you five, and even then I'm losing," she bargained, crossing her arms.

"Ah, I can't do that, lady…" the elder man warbled, shaking his head. "Then _I_ 'll be losing money. I can't go lower than eight zenis."

Videl scrunched her nose at the man. Did she even want those apples so much? "Fine, have it your way." She turned away from him, and the aging seller didn't even try to hold her back; another customer had caught his attention.

Videl ground her teeth, and then turned back to the apple stall, getting out eight zenis from her backpack. "Here."

The old man smiled with his almost toothless mouth as he took the money, and handed her a paper bag with her kilo of green apples. If only she didn't like apples so much! Ugh. What was wrong with her today? She was usually much better at haggling. At this rate, she wasn't going to have enough money left for her food supplies for the next weeks. She'd be better off picking the apples from trees herself!

The young woman hoisted her cardboard of provisions and looked down at the contents. She had enough starchy food and vegetables, but she needed meat, and her medical kit at home was wearing thin again; she'd need to find some bandages and disinfectant too.

Some time later, Videl had managed to get everything she needed, but her wallet was a lot thinner than usual after her monthly visit to the black market.

She blamed Gohan. It had been four days since his fight against the cyborgs, and there was no more news about him since he went to the hospital. She knew that he was alive, but there were no updates about his current condition. And though Videl wished it weren't true, she was worried sick.

She carried the heavy box as she walked back to her house. It would've been so much easier if she still had her old aircar, the one her father gave her, but it finally broke down a couple years ago. Moving from town to town had become a lot harder without a car, but Videl couldn't afford a new one, so she would walk for days, and sometimes even weeks just to get to a new location. Moving constantly was the only way to stay remotely safe in this world, though, and at least Videl had managed to get herself a capsule house. She got it not too long after leaving Orange Star City, and thanks to the tournaments that her father would win back in the day, she'd been able to afford one and still have enough to get by for a while.

She got into the street fights when she was about fifteen. It wasn't easy at first, and she would arrive home covered in bruises more often than not, but Videl was still skilled enough to earn her living. She'd gotten a lot better since that time, and Gohan was the first one who had been able to beat her in a very long time.

Finally, over her box of provisions, she saw her capsule house in the distance. Videl picked up her pace, eager to let go of the heavy cardboard and take a breath. She squinted suddenly, and unconsciously slowed down. Someone… There was someone on her doorstep… Lying down? They seemed to have passed out…?

And then as she got closer, Videl began to run. Were her eyes deceiving her…? Could it really be…?

Her quick steps skidded to an abrupt halt when she reached her house, and Videl almost let go of her box in shock. Her eyes widened at the sight of the battered young man covered in bandages and plasters, passed out on her doorstep. She put down the box, and slowly approached him, feeling a lump rise in her throat.

"Gohan…?"

Crouching down, she placed her palm on his chest, and breathed a sigh of relief when she felt it rising and falling, albeit faintly. Videl bit back tears – she was _not_ going to cry again – and stood up. She got her keys out of her backpack, unlocked the door, then dragged her box of provisions inside. Once that was done, she went back to Gohan, crouched down again, pulled his left arm over her shoulders, and hoisted him up. He was heavy, but nothing she couldn't handle – being strong sure had its perks.

She managed to drag Gohan to her room, and laid him on her bed with a huff. Slightly out of breath, Videl stood there for a few moments, watching the reckless young man sleeping peacefully.

She looked away, as if to hide the budding smile that twitched her lips, which was a pretty useless thing to do considering Gohan couldn't see her. She turned back to him, and couldn't help the soft expression that took over her features as she watched him. Videl sat down on the bed, not taking her eyes off her sleeping guest, and touched his hair. A bandage was covering his forehead and going around his head, and he had a few band-aids on his face; a big one on his right cheek as well as a few on his eyebrow arches and one on the corner of his lips. He wasn't wearing a shirt, but most of his torso was also covered in bandages, and so were parts of his arms. Even his fingers had plasters around them. She noticed he had many scars all over his skin, or at least on the uncovered parts.

"Why didn't you wait to be healed before coming, you reckless man?"

Though her words were meant to scold him, her tone was soft, and Videl was still smiling. Despite his injuries, Gohan didn't look in too bad a shape. The fact that he'd managed to get to her place, even though he did end up passing out from exhaustion, was enough proof to her that he would be alright.

Videl let out a soft sigh; she moved to lean her head against his left shoulder and placed his arm around her, while making sure not to put too much weight on him. And then Videl smiled, letting her eyes fall shut.

 _What am I going to do with you, Gohan?_

ooOoo

There was a light weight on him, but Gohan hardly felt it, and it wasn't even hurting his broken ribs. His mind was still groggy, and the young man didn't feel like opening his eyes just yet. There was a lovely smell of flowers, very close to him, and he felt like letting the intoxicating scent lull him back to sleep. He breathed in deeply, and sighed in content as he exhaled.

"Mmm…" It smelled so good...

The weight lifted, but instead of feeling relieved, it made Gohan frown. And then, something very soft touched his face, and Gohan finally opened his eyes.

Her eyes were so blue. Gosh, she was even smiling... "You're finally awake." Her voice was soft.

His right arm seemed to move on its own. He brushed away her bangs from her magnificent eyes, before running his fingers through her long raven hair. He was so glad she'd let it loose. Her hair was so soft and beautiful.

"I'm so happy…" he croaked out, his voice still hoarse from sleep. "Finally… I'm so happy… To see you again… Finally..."

Her lips quivered, her cheeks reddened. Her hands were on his chest now, and Gohan continued to run his fingers through her silky hair.

"You… You idiot…" she breathed out, her voice so faint he almost missed it. Her eyes were gleaming with emotion.

"I really am," he agreed, a sloppy grin on his face. He moved his hand to the back of her neck, pulling her closer. "But I don't care. I just wanted to see you again."

She buried her face in the crook of his neck, and Gohan closed his eyes as he held her against him, wrapping his left arm around her.

"I'm so happy," he murmured into her hair, and kissed her head.

"You're an idiot," she mumbled, her breath tickling his neck.

Gohan chuckled, and held her tighter against him. "Yeah, I know."

He was the happiest idiot.

* * *

 _And there you have it! Hope you enjoyed! Leave me a review maybe? :D_

 _Also, as you can see I'm following the manga and not the OVA. For me the manga is the most reliable source, and it's also a lot easier for me to check for facts since I own the whole collection, hehe. ^^_

 _By the way, be sure to check out my deviantART gallery (look up the words MissKisa and deviantart) for pics based on this fanfic! You can find them easily in the folder named Fanfic Related Art, or on my Journal Entry. I actually drew the last scene of this chapter two years ago, which I cropped and am using as the cover picture for the fanfic._

 _Thanks for reading! See you next chapter!_

 _Beta'd by **TheGodfather93**. Thanks a bunch! :D_

 _Lilly-_

* * *

 _July 12, 2015_


	3. There's a First Time for Everything

_I have to thank **SilviaS7** for her amazing help on this chapter. Not only did she beta read it, but she actually wrote some parts for me when I got stuck._

 _If you want to thank her too, go check out her fics! She's an awesome writer. :D_

 _And now, please enjoy. This chapter is where the M rating starts to make sense, if ya know what I mean. ;)_

* * *

 _Chapter Three: There's a First for Everything_

* * *

His outstretched leg landed on a boulder and it exploded into million pieces, making sand and dust rise around him. But Trunks didn't even pause to look at the result; his teeth ground, his golden aura shining brightly, the ten-year-old assaulted the wasteland he'd chosen to vent up his frustration.

His mother could be so irrational sometimes! Yes, okay, so he made a mistake; he should've listened to her and Gohan and not try to fight the cyborgs – like _that_ did any good anyway. But _he got it_ now! Trunks told her he wouldn't get involved in the fights again, but no, his mom actually had the nerve to _forbid_ him from _ever_ fighting again! What! The! Hell!

It was in his blood! He was the son of the Prince of all Saiyans! He had the potential to surpass the cyborgs – to surpass _anyone_ , even Gohan! And more than that, _he_ actually loved fighting, whereas he knew Gohan _didn't_. Oh, sure, Gohan had never _said_ anything about it, but Trunks wasn't blind. He happened to be a very smart kid, and he'd known Gohan his whole life. He knew what it was like to enjoy the thrill of a battle, and he always felt Gohan never really had any fun training. The only reason Gohan was fighting was because he had to – because he was _the only one_ who stood a chance to save the world and bring back the peace.

Trunks always figured that if not for the twin monsters, Gohan would have long quit martial arts and settled down. Probably get married and start a family, too, with some super high-class science job, and a nice home – and just, a normal, happy life. That could have been Gohan's life, and Trunks hated that his best friend didn't get to be what he really wanted to be.

So he wanted to surpass him. He wanted to take the weight of the world off of Gohan's shoulders, and be the one to kill the cyborgs. And for that, he needed to get stronger. He had to train, and he had to fight.

Trunks continued to kick and punch around the deserted land, making boulders, dry trees, and even the ground explode, creating crater after crater, and lifting up so much sand and dust he could barely see in front of him. But the little warrior didn't care. He didn't stop his rampage, and went all out on the poor land. At least there was no life around here; not even animals inhabited this desert. So Trunks didn't worry about hurting anyone, or anything, and kept on venting out his frustration at his mom.

Did she really think she could stop him? He needed to get stronger, at all costs, and if that meant disobeying his own mother, so be it. The fight with the cyborgs a few days ago, if nothing else, had made him a lot stronger that he was before. Gohan told him Saiyans could get a power boost whenever they recovered from a near-death experience; Trunks figured that was one of the reasons Gohan had kept fighting the twin terrors even when he never stood a chance. They didn't seem to know about the boost, and every time they would leave Gohan for dead, he would come out of the confrontation a whole lot stronger once he'd healed.

Trunks kind of wished he could do that again, too. But, he couldn't put his mother through that kind of worry again, after they found him and Gohan almost dead amongst the city's rubble. His case had been a lot less serious than Gohan's, but it had still been enough to give him the power boost.

Well, no matter. He could still get stronger the old fashioned way. Fighting was all he had, and Trunks wanted to be the one to kill the cyborgs and save the world – or, what was left of it anyway. His mother didn't understand. She had no idea Gohan didn't even like fighting, and that he shouldn't be the one fighting those battles. Trunks was going to do it. He was going to put everything he had in him to get stronger, to become the strongest – and he knew he could do it. He would do it. For Gohan, for his mother, and for their broken world.

Whether his mom liked it or not, her son was going to save the world.

ooOoo

Gohan felt Videl trying to move, but he was reluctant to let her go. "What is it," he asked softly, smiling as she lifted her head to meet his gaze.

Gosh, he really did love her gorgeous eyes.

"Aren't I weighing on your injuries?" she frowned in concern.

Gohan melted. He cupped the side of her face with his right hand and brought her to him to capture her lips. He grinned through the kiss when she responded instinctively, and tightened his left arm around her waist, pressing Videl all against him.

Aahh… This was the stuff. This was what he'd longed for, from the moment they parted ways that night. Gohan deepened the kiss, tickling her tongue ever so slightly with his own. Videl moaned into his mouth. His body was burning up.

"You're too cute," he murmured, just over her lips. Gohan tucked the longer strands framing her face behind her ear with his right hand, and grinned when she attempted to sit up, her face flaming red.

"I'm not cute," she pouted – but she was only proving his point. Gohan chuckled, his thumb stroking her cheek.

"And you're getting cuter by the second."

Gosh, she was so adorable when she got flustered. Videl squirmed on top of him and tried to pull away from him again, her whole face the brightest red he'd ever seen; but with his left arm still secured around her waist, she wasn't able to move much. Gohan let out another chuckle and finally released his hold around her.

"I should check your bandages," she said as she moved her legs around to the floor and stood up. "I just bought some first-aid supplies, too."

"I'm really fine, you know," Gohan said, supporting his weight with his elbows, though he couldn't help the broad grin that dug in his cheeks. Videl was worrying about him… It was making him feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

"Then there's no harm in making sure, is there?" she said with a raised eyebrow, already reaching the door. "Now, be good and stay. I'll be right back."

"What am I, a dog?" he joked. Videl snorted laughing.

"You're kinda like a puppy, now that I think about it," she said, snickering into her hand. Gohan grinned, delighted that he'd managed to make Videl laugh.

She shot him a playful smirk as she walked through the door, leaving it open. Gohan let himself flop back onto the pillow and brought his hands behind his neck. He felt so happy, he was just unable to erase the grin off his face.

He'd really fallen hard for that girl, huh? And it happened so fast, too. But Videl was just… She was the best. No other woman could ever compare to Videl. She was the most beautiful girl in the world, and the most awesome person ever – she was just the best, and being with her was always so much fun.

He'd never thought something like that could happen to him, after a decade of fighting hopeless battles. Having fun again. Feeling happy. Falling in love. But with Videl… Everything felt so easy and wonderful. And for the first time in so long, Gohan truly felt hopeful. She made him want to fight more than ever for a better future. She made him want to surpass himself, and bring back the peace. And he was going to do it. Definitely. He had to. For a better world, and for her. He'd do anything for Videl – just so he could see her smile more.

Just thinking of her filled his heart with warmth. Gohan grinned to himself. Gosh, he had it so bad for Videl.

And he was loving every second of it.

ooOoo

It was fortunate that it had been less than an hour since she got back from the black market and found Gohan sleeping on her doorstep; her box of provisions was still where she's left it, just by the front door, and Videl hurried to put away her groceries.

She just put the meat in the freezer when two muscular arms wrapped around her waist. Her breath hitched, and she involuntarily closed her eyes and leaned back on his chest. To think he was simply holding her, and she already felt all hot and tingly. This crazy chemistry was going to be the end of her…

"I told you to wait," she said. She had intended to use a scolding tone, but her voice came out low and breathless.

Gohan nuzzled her neck. "Hmm… I guess you were right," he nibbled her ear; Videl bit down her lip. "I really am a puppy."

God… How could he make her feel so fucking _good_? If just holding her and teasing her felt like _this…_ Videl couldn't help thinking just how great it would feel to ride him long and hard, and to have his lips, his hands all over her body.

She was getting turned on just imagining it, and Videl swallowed hard. The fact that Gohan was kissing her neck sure wasn't helping her cool down…

"Just give me… Give me a moment to put away the groceries," she breathed, and detached herself from Gohan. He smiled sheepishly and scratched his hair; Videl smirked at him, and reached up to plant a sensual kiss on his neck. "And then I'll be all yours..."

Gohan's face flared up instantly. His lips parted, his eyes glued on her, and Videl gave him a sultry look before turning back to the cardboard box. She purposely bent down low to grab some vegetables, and her smirk widened when she turned around and looked at Gohan. His fists were clenching and unclenching, his jaw was hanging open, his eyes were glazed over, and his face actually got even redder as he stared at her. Videl took her time, making sure to move her body slowly and suggestively, and throwing Gohan a heated look every now and then, while he just stood there and watched her.

She bent down one last time, facing him, and pushing her breasts together with her arms. "Hm, I guess all that's left is the first aid kit supplies."

"So you're…" Gohan started, but suddenly sucked in a breath. Videl looked up at him and smirked. "You're done now?"

She straightened herself, holding the first aid supplies in her right hand. "I guess I am. Let's check those injuries of yours now, shall we?"

His lips were ravaging hers the next second; Gohan had moved so fast she didn't even see it, only felt a sudden gust of wind.

"Forget my injuries," he panted against her lips. "I can't wait any longer."

Videl let out a small gasp when he grabbed her ass and lifted her up to sit her on the kitchen's work surface. He was kissing her neck now, and Videl closed her eyes, feeling her body tremble slightly. She held onto the surface with both hands, her knuckles turning white, while Gohan kissed his way to her cleavage.

Her head was going to explode. They were barely getting started, and the sensations had already well exceeded her expectations. Videl moaned when Gohan cupped her breasts over her tank top, licking and kissing every inch of skin he could reach.

"Just… Let me take it off already," she heaved out. Videl pushed Gohan slightly; he swallowed, while she grabbed the hem of her tank top and pulled it over her head. As Gohan stared at the black bra still covering her chest, Videl smirked and reached behind her to unhook the clasp, letting her perky boobs break free from the bothersome cage.

Gohan swallowed again, sweat rolling down his blushing face. "Maybe we… Maybe we should wait…"

So he said, but he was still staring at her naked breasts. Videl pulled him back against her by wrapping her legs around his midsection. "Just shut up and fuck me, Gohan."

Gohan's throat made a strangling sound, and he turned even redder. He stood still when Videl moved forward to lick a scar on his neck, and she could feel him all tensed up. Oh god, he was just too cute.

"D… Don't say it like that, Videl," he stammered, his voice hoarse. He let out a groan when she used her legs to pull him closer, all against her, his erection pushing against her crotch – and Videl felt their pants needed to get off. Now.

Moving blindly, she started undoing the blue belt holding his torn orange pants in place, still busying herself on his neck. All his bandages were kind of a pain, though.

"Oh? How should I say it, then?" she teased, and blew on his ear. She felt him shiver, and smirked. "Do me? Screw me? Bang me? Oh, wait, I know…" Her smirk grew wider, and she could feel him getting stiffer between her legs. "I want to feel your cock deeply buried inside of me, Gohan... pounding me senselessly… making me writhe in ecstasy..." Finally, the knot was undone, and his orange pants slid down his legs, pooling at his feet. She moved back slightly to look at him, and almost laughed at the shocked expression on his beet-red face. "Is that better?"

"You're so… crude." His voice was throaty, and his eyes stared into hers intently. Gohan slowly moved his hands to her hips, his face inching closer.

But then he let out a shaky breath and closed his eyes as he let his forehead press against hers. Videl smiled, and wrapped her arms around his neck. His nervousness was endearing.

"I… I-I haven't… I've never…" he stammered. Videl pulled back slightly to look at him, her eyebrows raised in surprise.

"You've never had sex?"

He smiled sheepishly, and cupped her cheek. "Before you, Videl, I've never even kissed."

"Heh, is that so," she smirked at him, her eyes full of mirth. "And yet you've always been so bold with me. Kinda hard to believe. And I thought you were supposed to be the shy type," she teased.

He blushed, flashing her an adorably embarrassed smile. "Well, I am, but not all the time." He moved closer, his nose brushing hers slightly. "And when I'm with you… I just can't help myself."

She giggled. "Then don't hold back. Do whatever you want to me, Gohan… Anything you want."

His breathing deepened as he stared at her deeply. He leaned in to kiss her lips, and Videl sighed in delight. It was really hard to believe that she had been his first kiss. He was so good at it… He must be a natural. She couldn't wait to feel him deep inside of her – to see just how good Gohan would be at this too.

"Okay," he whispered in response, just over her lips. He swallowed again. "Should we… move to your room…?"

"Hmm… Doing it on the counter was kinda turning me on…"

His face just discovered the deepest shade of red she'd ever seen, and Videl bit down her lip to keep herself from laughing at him. Gosh, he was just too cute for words. Gohan closed his eyes and his head slowly tipped over, his forehead landing on her left shoulder.

"Aahh…" he sighed, wrapping his arms around her waist and almost crushing her to his torso. "You're going to be the end of me, Videl."

She giggled. Videl petted his hair, kissed him just behind his ear. She felt him shudder. "We can go to my room, if that'd make you feel more comfortable."

He chuckled. "What is that? You, being nice? Since when?" he teased, nuzzling the crook of her neck.

"I guess you bring out the nice in me," she breathed out shakily, as Gohan started licking her skin, slowly moving lower.

"I guess I don't really care either way…" he mumbled against her skin. His tongue reached her cleavage, and he cupped her breasts, burying his face in between them. "Aahh… So soft…"

Videl arched her back, her eyes tightly shut as Gohan's mouth worked on her chest. Her breath hitched when she felt his tongue on her left nipple, and she let out a moan when he flicked it on the tip a few times. Videl bit down her lip and held onto the counter when he pinched her right nipple, while he started suckling on the left.

God, he really was a natural.

Blindly, Videl moved her hands to undo her jeans and quickly lowered them, taking her underwear along, before kicking them off impatiently. She couldn't wait anymore. She needed him. Inside of her. Right now.

"G… Gohan…" she panted, while Gohan still busied himself on her breasts, using both his hands and his mouth to please her. "Just… fuck me, already."

He paused his ministrations, his face between her boobs, and looked up at her. Videl met his gaze; Gohan straightened himself, towering over her, and placed his hands on either side of her, grabbing onto the counter's edge. His eyes bore into hers, staring into them with an intensity that Videl had never seen before.

She was getting wetter just from his look.

"You're too beautiful," he murmured, and moved his right hand to cup her cheek, his thumb brushing over her lips. "But you have such a foul mouth."

Videl couldn't help it, she grinned at him from ear to ear. "You don't like it?"

He smiled, and Videl felt her insides melt at the gentleness in his pitch black eyes. God, the way Gohan looked at her…

"I love it," he whispered, and inched closer to press his lips along her jawline. "There isn't a thing I don't like about you, Videl."

Videl closed her eyes and let out a shaky breath. In the back of her mind, the tiniest corner of her mind, a little voice whispered that this was a bad idea. Gohan was too dangerous for her already damaged heart, and she liked him way too much already. Not to mention, Gohan seemed to have it pretty bad for her, too… This wasn't good. He was too into her already, and she… She was actually… She was really starting to fall for him.

But the little voice was so faint, and the blood pulsing in her head did well to cover it.

Gohan raised his head, their noses rubbing slightly; they smiled at each other, eyes closed, and Gohan bucked his hips, his stiff cock, still covered by his boxers, hitting her core in just the right spot. Videl moaned – but it still wasn't nearly enough. Impatiently, she grabbed the hem of his boxers and pulled down, before taking hold of his length between her fingers. Gohan hissed, while Videl guided him between her legs.

"W… Wait…" he breathed out faintly. "What about… protection?"

Videl was surprised he could still think rationally and responsibly while she was holding his hard dick in her hand. She gave it a stroke, teasing him, and smirked when Gohan groaned, his knees bending slightly. He buried his face in the crook of her neck, hiding his flushed face in her long hair.

"V… Videl… I'm serious… We can't risk…"

His voice trailed off and he made a strangled sound, as Videl started using both of her hands to stroke him. She kissed his neck. "Don't worry, it's a safe day for me."

"Are… Are you sure…?" he whispered, his voice low and hoarse.

The way he was restraining himself, so forcefully… Oh god, it was turning her on so much. _She_ was more than ready, that was for sure.

"Yes," she replied breathlessly, nibbling on his ear as she pulled his hardened cock closer to her entrance, unconsciously parting her legs wider. "My period ended just yesterday."

"That's… fortunate," he uttered out, panting heavily. His hands moved to her hips, and the tip of his sex finally touched her lower lips. His face still buried in her hair, Gohan gritted his teeth as his hips started moving forward.

And then, in a swift, sudden movement, Gohan was all the way inside, and Videl bit down his strong neck to muffle her cry of pleasure while he groaned into her neck.

"Oh god…" he breathed out, his voice trembling.

He didn't move right away, as if he needed time to adjust… Or maybe it felt too good for him too, and he needed a moment to compose himself. It sure felt like too much for Videl already.

But only after a few moments, as Videl was still trying to adjust to the intense pleasure, Gohan started pulling his cock almost all the way out before thrusting forward again, and they both let out moans and groans at the heavenly sensation. Setting a slow pace, Gohan repeated the action, the delicious friction of him moving in and out of her fulfilling Videl both emotionally and physically. The kind of intimacy she shared with him in that moment was something she told herself she didn't need, but she felt parts of herself coming alive at his touch.

His hands moved from her hips to hold on to her ass, and he pulled her forward slightly as he entered her, pushing himself deeper. His head still hung over on her shoulder, and she could feel every shaky breath he took. Despite being a virgin, there was something to be said for instinct, because the coil of desire in the pit of Videl's stomach grew hotter the longer he touched her.

Still, it wasn't enough for Videl. She needed more; more of this, more of him, more of everything. She wanted Gohan to let go, to lose control; she needed him to turn his brain off and fuck her hard, hammering into her like no tomorrow.

Videl reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Harder," she tried to shout, but her voice came out much smaller than she anticipated. She waited a moment, and he started to speed up slightly, but it wasn't quite what she wanted; it still wasn't enough. "Harder," she repeated, louder this time.

Maybe he just couldn't talk at the moment, so he grunted in response. His hands moved back to her hips, and his grip tightened. He pressed into her with more force and more speed, and Videl let out a gasp of ecstasy at the feeling. "Yes!" she cried out. He pulled her forward again, so she was barely sitting on the counter, and continued to pound her senselessly.

She held onto Gohan, her breasts swinging with each thrust of their bodies meeting one another. She clenched her teeth as she felt that familiar, wondrous ache creep up the back her spine and make her shudder in response. She was _so close_ , she just needed a little more and –

And then everything came together and Videl came undone. Her inner muscles clenched uncontrollably around Gohan's dick, and he groaned in response, still thrusting hard. His grip on her hips tightened, the fingers of his hands leaving red marks from holding onto her so roughly, and Videl could have sworn she was in heaven.

He kept pounding her through her orgasm, unknowingly drawing it out longer. Her legs involuntarily clenched around his waist, and he shuddered in her grasp. "V-Videl," he stuttered, his voice barely more than a raspy whisper. "I-I'm," he tried to say, but his voice died on his tongue.

She knew what he was trying to say. Videl responded by clenching her inner muscles around him once more, knowing it would drive him crazy. The thought of making this blushing virgin lose control turned her on more than she wanted to admit.

Gohan made a gurgling sound before he slammed into her one last time and held still – or at least as still as he could. His shoulders shook and his hands nearly crushed her hips. She felt him release inside of her, and then his lips planted onto hers as he ravaged her mouth breathlessly, and Videl unconsciously pulled at his hair at the base of his head.

His kiss was too much. Videl squirmed, suddenly feeling like she was close for a second time. She reached down with her right hand, intent on finishing herself off with a few quick rubs against her clit. Gohan looked down and frowned when he saw her touching herself; maybe he assumed the worst. He deftly moved her hand out of the way and touched her with both of his, his thumbs working in circles in different directions on her.

Videl almost bit through her tongue at both the shock and the sensation. He pressed into her harder with his thumbs, moving faster as he suddenly looked up into her eyes. While he still had a deep blush running across his cheeks and nose, his eyes told a different story. There was a hard determination in those onyx eyes, to not lose this particular battle. His touch, his eyes, his soul touching hers, was enough for Videl to lose herself once more.

An embarrassing squeak escaped her throat as she came once more, her body shaking as she clenched around Gohan's dick, still buried deep inside of her. She had shut her eyes tightly as the sensation rolled over, and when she opened them again she was met with his goofy but sheepish smile.

"Two orgasms," she smirked, catching her breath. "Not bad for a blushing virgin."

His eyes widened slightly and Gohan moved his right hand to hide his face, turning completely red. "I can't believe you just _said_ that," he muttered in obvious embarrassment, his blush reaching down his neck. Videl giggled, planting a soft kiss along his jawline.

"You're kinda proving my point."

"You're kinda not helping, Videl." He let out a nervous chuckle as he took his hand off his face, smiling at her. Placing both his hands on the counter, on either side of her, Gohan started leaning in for a kiss. But then he suddenly paused, and Videl opened her eyes to see him blink at her. "Wait, _two_ orgasms? But I thought…?"

She giggled again, and wrapped her arms around his neck to kiss his lips. Gohan responded instinctively. "Silly Gohan," she smiled against his lips. "Didn't you feel me come while you were pounding me like crazy?"

His face darkened to the point that he actually looked like a tomato. "N-no," he stuttered awkwardly, his gaze falling away from hers. "I thought I didn't make you… you know," he swallowed hard. "So when you… started touching yourself I just…"

"I know," Videl laughed at him again. "You're disgustingly adorable sometimes, you know that?" she teased him, rubbing her nose on his cheek.

"I think I'm disgustingly lucky," he mumbled into her hair, his arms moving to wrap around her waist, pulling her close to him. She raised her head to look at him, and her eyes softened as they met his gentle gaze. He leaned in to capture her lips again, kissing her deep and slow.

Videl melted. Ahh… How could his kisses feel so good? She was already addicted to Gohan… To all of him. Man, this was bad...

"Hey…" she whispered against his lips, breathless, as she kept her eyes closed. "Wanna move to my room?"

He kissed her some more, and moved his hands to cup her ass. Then, he hoisted her up and backed up a few steps, carrying her against him. "Yeah," he mumbled through the kiss.

Videl tightened her legs around his waist, and moaned softly as she felt his cock harden, still deeply buried inside of her. He pulled out then, ignoring her groan of protest, and, still kissing her, moved her in his arms so that he was carrying her bridal style. Videl held onto his neck, while Gohan walked the short distance to her bedroom.

He closed the door with his foot, and finally detached his lips from hers, allowing them to catch their breath. Videl looked at him through half-lidded eyes, cupping his cheek. Gohan moved them to the bed, towering over her as she lay on her back, and Videl pulled him for another kiss.

He suddenly grabbed her hips and pulled her all against him, his hardening member grinding against her clit. Videl let out a moan, breaking the kiss – it was too much for her, it all felt just too good already. Gohan's lips moved to her neck, while his left hand cupped her right breast, giving it a squeeze. He was still rubbing her with his cock, slowly getting stiffer – but Videl wanted him to get hard again faster. She bit down her lip, wishing she didn't have to stop what he was doing to her neck and her chest, but still pushed Gohan slightly, before making him roll on his back.

He raised his eyebrows, looking at her. Videl smirked, and moved between his knees, before grabbing _him_ with both of her hands. His head lolled back and Gohan groaned, and Videl chuckled to herself. _Oh, Gohan, this is only the beginning_ …

Still smirking, she flicked her long hair out of the way, letting it pool down on her right, and moved her head down, taking his length into her mouth. Gohan made a gurgling sound, fisting the sheet so tight his knuckles turned white. Videl rolled her tongue around his shaft, observing his reactions as she started sucking. She couldn't see his face well, but the sounds that came out of him were both adorable and incredibly arousing… His chest was heaving in and out fast. Videl took more of him into her mouth, and then started bobbing her head up and down.

"Vi… Videl…!" he groaned. Blindly, he grabbed her pillow and smashed it on his face, letting out a muffled cry into it.

Videl rubbed her thighs together. God, just watching him was making her all hot and bothered. Well, she'd managed to get his dick rock hard again, so might as well put it to use, hm?

She let go of his cock with an audible _pop_ and straightened herself, moving to straddle his muscular thighs. Gohan took the pillow away from his face, breathed out shakily, but then he met her gaze and swallowed hard, a crimson streak spread across his cheeks. Videl smirked; she grabbed his erection and lowered herself onto it, the two of them moaning in pleasure.

Gohan couldn't take his eyes off of her. He held onto her hips as she rode him, long and hard, her long hair, her breasts moving up and down in rhythm.

He suddenly sat up and kissed her, and Videl moaned into his mouth as he thrust his hips hard to meet hers. "You're too beautiful," he muttered against her lips, moving his right hand to cup her face, his fingers tangling in her hair. He pressed his forehead to hers, pushing himself faster in and out of her.

"G… Gohan… Gohan! Yes! Yes!"

His fingers of his left hand tightened on her ass, as Gohan felt that delicious ache building up in the pit of his stomach. He lowered his mouth along her throat, and Videl arched her back, as he licked his way to her chest. Oh, those beautiful breasts of hers… So soft, so tasty… so lovely…

He panted against her chest, moving his right hand to cup the voluptuous mound. Videl cried out in delight, wrapping her arms around his head, as she continued to ride him senselessly, nearly jumping up and down.

And then he felt her inner walls tighten around him like crazy, before quivering and shaking even more. Videl let out a long moan, her arms tightening around his head as her movement stilled.

Gohan rolled her onto her back and grabbed her hips with both of his hands. He pounded her harder, faster, deeper. He could feel it… He was so close…

Oh God, this felt so good. Everything about Videl just felt so… right. The way they fit together, it was like they were made for each other. She made him feel so _alive_ , and yet so weak at the same time.

It was the best feeling in the world.

Gohan shuddered, his fingers digging into her hips as he felt Videl tighten and tremble around him again. Did she just come again…?

"Oh God…"

With a last thrust, Gohan suddenly felt it. The pleasure was so intense, the world turned white, and he cried out against her neck as he shot his load inside of Videl.

ooOoo

Working was the only thing Bulma could do when she was this upset. Trunks could be such a brat sometimes, and Gohan was just hopeless. Saiyans were a pain in the ass, and those two, though they were only Halflings, they were just as bad, if not worse.

She wiped her sweaty forehead with the back of her hand, unknowingly putting some soot on it, and focused more on her work. If this worked, it could actually help them. After all, science was what brought the twin terrors to the world, so science should be able to get rid of those pests, right? And with her genius mind, the only thing she had needed was the basic idea – and she was pure genius, so naturally it had been a piece of cake. Building the thing was the hardest part, however, and it was extremely time-consuming. She'd been working on this thing for over a year now, but at least, it should be ready soon…

God, she hoped it worked.

Bulma shook her head slightly. Since when did she ever doubt herself? She had one of the most brilliant minds that ever was, and she had killer looks to boot. Now was not the moment to start doubting her capabilities. She was awesome, and her new invention was going to be just as awesome. It was going to work. It had to work.

There was a brief buzz, and Bulma looked up from the machinery.

" _... Mom? You busy?"_ the timid voice of her son sounded from the intercom.

Bulma rolled her eyes, but her lips were twitching for a smile. She covered her invention with a sheet, grabbed a stained rag, and walked over to the metal door of her lab as she wiped her hands. Bulma opened the door, and the sheepish smile of her son greeted her.

She tried to look stern, but damn, Trunks could be so adorable sometimes.

"Hey, Mom…" he said softly, flashing her a nervous smile. "You still mad at me?"

Bulma really tried to glare at him, but in the end she just sighed. "I want to be, but you're just too cute – come here, you."

She pulled him into a hug, and smiled as he responded awkwardly. "I really am sorry Mom, you know."

"I know."

"I won't fight with the cyborgs again. Not unless I surpass Gohan," he continued.

"That's a good idea, yes."

"But I… I can't stop training. You get that, right?"

Bulma sighed into his lavender hair. Yes, she did get that, but she wished there could be another way. God, how she wished there was another way. She wished she could hide her baby somewhere where he could never get hurt. If only such a thing was possible… But even her genius had its limits.

"Yes, Trunks, I understand," she replied softly, her arms tightening protectively around her child. "But you won't face the cyborgs again, right?"

"Not unless I surpass Gohan," he said again.

It was a peculiar condition Trunks gave himself. But it was reasonable enough – and with any luck, Gohan would always stay one step ahead of her son, who would never have to fight the cyborgs again.

She knew how selfish that was of her. Chichi had been a mess since Gohan started facing the twin monsters on a regular basis, and the woman, although being the youngest of the two, actually looked older than Bulma now. It was heartbreaking to see Chichi sometimes; she'd get that faraway look at times, and Bulma figured she would be thinking of Goku, and how he would have surely beaten the cyborgs and prevented Gohan from ever fighting them, had he not died from the heart virus.

 _Oh, Goku, if only you were here_ , Bulma thought desperately, closing her eyes tightly as she held her son against her. Goku would've done it – there was not a single shred of doubt in her mind. If Goku had never gotten sick, if he hadn't died before the cyborgs appeared, nobody would've had to die. Surely, Goku would have saved them all. And then, maybe her dear, dear Trunks could've grown up with a father, even if it was someone like Vegeta.

But all this wishful thinking was pointless. Gohan was her only hope now... and he had it in him, Bulma knew it; Gohan had always been a prodigy of his own. And if he could actually kill the cyborgs, then Bulma would never have to worry about Trunks facing them ever again.

Yes, she was selfish. But she was a mom, and she'd be damned if she ever let anything happen to her baby boy.

ooOoo

He felt so peaceful. It was hard to believe the cyborgs even existed. But Gohan didn't want to think about that. With this gorgeous young woman in his arms, all snuggled up to him, Gohan didn't want to think of anything else. Just for now, the world was perfect – there was only Videl. She was all he needed. She was his world.

He was so completely infatuated.

She was tracing random figures on his chest, and Gohan sighed in content. Holding Videl like this, breathing in her lovely scent, basking in the afterglow of their passionate embrace…

This was it. This was the moment he had lived for. Everything, his whole life, it was all meant just so he could live this very moment, with this amazing girl in his arms. He didn't care that he still barely knew her – because he did know her. He knew everything he needed to know about Videl.

She was feisty, she was stubborn, she was aggressive, she had the worst temper; she was strong, she was smart, she was skilled. She was fun. She was beautiful, inside and out, and she could be so gentle and loving. She was perfection.

And he loved her. He had fallen so hard for her, it wasn't even funny. Had it been love at first sight? Gohan wondered; he wasn't sure. But he did know he loved Videl. With every fiber of his soul, he loved this girl.

"I'm getting hungry," she mumbled softly. Gohan chuckled into her hair.

"Yeah, me too," he replied. He'd actually been holding it in for a while, not wishing to break the moment. "But if I start to eat I might raid your stocks completely," he added sheepishly.

She giggled, and it was the most wonderful sound in the world. "Yeah, right."

"I'm serious," he said, and Videl looked up at him from his chest. "I need to eat a lot – and I do mean _a lot_ – to make up for all the energy I spent training and fighting. It's genetic."

Videl quirked an eyebrow at him, and she looked as if she was about to ask something. But Gohan wasn't feeling like answering questions, so he simply leaned in to kiss her lips, effectively stopping her in her tracks.

"How do you feel about a picnic?" he asked softly, brushing away raven tendrils from her deep blue eyes. "I can hunt for something, or catch a fish."

She gave him a look, appearing a bit skeptical. Then she smirked. "A picnic, huh? Are you asking me on a date?"

He nuzzled her cheek. "What if I am?"

"I don't do dates," she said blandly. Gohan kissed her chin, her jawline, her throat… She let out a sigh of content.

"Humor me."

Another sigh, but this time it was of resignation. "Fine…"

He grinned against her neck, and breathed in her lovely scent. Gosh, he really did love her.

ooOoo

"Hell no!"

Gohan blinked in shock at Videl's sudden outburst. "Wh-what?" he stammered.

"You are _not_ going hunting without me!" she explained. "I want to see how you do this. I mean, I have an idea, but what's the fun in sitting here while you go get our dinner? I'm coming with you," she finished, her tone and stance letting Gohan know that he wasn't going to argue with her.

Videl's capsule house was on the outskirts of the city she had settled in, and there was a forest just a few minutes away by foot. It hadn't taken them long to find a nice spot for their picnic, surrounded by tall trees. But just as Gohan had been about to go hunt for their dinner… well, this happened.

He reached up and scratched the back of his head. "Okay, um, I was going to fly over the forest until I saw a deer, so…" he trailed off, his face turning red at the thought of carrying Videl. It was silly, especially considering how they'd spent the day together… But Gohan couldn't help how he felt. When he was around Videl, he felt like a blushing schoolboy.

Videl's eyes lit up at his words. "So we're going to fly?" she asked, unable to hide the excitement in her voice. The memory of flying in Gohan's arms was still vivid in her mind, yet at the same time it was a little too vague for her taste; the thought of flying through the air again, while Gohan held her against him… It was… exhilarating, to say the least.

"Yeah, I'll have to carry you, so uh," he lost his voice again.

Videl laughed and shrugged her shoulders while smirking at him. She walked over to him, leaning into his body with hers as she wrapped her hands around his neck. "You are so funny," she started. "You've flown with me before, don't you remember? And you've literally had your dick in me and yet you're blushing about carrying me?"

Gohan grimaced, his eyes closing. "I really wish you wouldn't say stuff like that."

She grinned. "I thought you liked everything about me," she teased, playing with his hair at the base of his neck. He gave a nervous chuckle.

"I do…" He cupped her cheek, his thumbs slowly stroking it as he looked into her playful eyes. Gosh, he really loved her eyes. "But it still makes me uncomfortable. I have a super strict mother, you see."

Her grin got broader, and Gohan felt like melting. "Why doesn't that surprise me." She chuckled. "Actually, it makes _so much_ sense."

He blushed, his brow creasing and his lower lip puckering out in a pout. She just _loved_ teasing him, didn't she?

But then his eyes softened. If it could make her smile like this, though… It was a small price to pay. He loved her smile so much… Gohan would be okay if she spent every moment of their time together teasing him if the reward was that amazing smile of hers.

He leaned in to kiss her lips softly, moving his arms around her waist to hold her firmly against him. Unwilling to let go of her luscious lips, Gohan simply started levitating as he kept kissing Videl. He felt her breath hitch as their feet left the ground, and Videl pulled back to look down at the shrinking ground below them. Her arms tightened around his neck, almost instinctively, and Gohan smiled, bending over to press his lips to her cheek.

"Don't worry," he murmured in her ear. "You're safe with me."

"I-I know that," she said, trying to sound annoyed, but the slight quiver in her voice gave her away.

She was cute when she was nervous, Gohan thought to himself with a chuckle.

"Well then, let's catch some dinner."

ooOoo

The silence wasn't uncomfortable. It was a quiet dinner like they often had. Trunks kind of wanted to ask what his mom was working on, though, but he knew that would be a dead end. His mom could be ridiculously stubborn at times. He didn't see the point of keeping her invention a secret; and besides, he and Gohan could've actually helped her build it! He liked building stuff, too. Science and mechanics were fun! And he got that streak from _her_ , for that matter!

Ah well. Trunks focused on his current plate, careful to use his manners in front of his mother. When he and Gohan would go out to hunt and eat together, which often happened after their training sessions, Trunks wouldn't care about eating cleanly. They would just dive in and devour their catch like a pair of famished wolves.

And speaking of his friend...

"How's Gohan doing?" Trunks asked. His mom didn't look up from her chicken soup as she casually answered him.

"That's a good question. He escaped from the hospital shortly after you."

Trunks gaped. "Wha…?"

Sure, he knew Gohan hated hospitals, but he'd never gone so far as to just _leave_ before getting well enough. And Gohan would usually talk to the doctors before actually asking to go home. Why had he been so keen to escape this time? Although Trunks was racking his brain trying to come up with an explanation, nothing seemed to make sense.

"Why would he do that…?" he ended up asking, though his mother was probably as clueless as him.

Or not.

"I'm guessing he went to see that girl he met the other night," Bulma said, a tiny smirk tugging at her lips.

Trunks frowned in confusion. "Gohan met a girl?" he asked, to make sure he'd heard right, tilting his head to the side.

"Not just _a_ girl," Bulma corrected, looking up at him with an amused grin. " _The_ girl. He's already _so_ infatuated with her, it's hilarious. And he was actually about to go see her before he got into that fight with the cyborgs a few days ago."

Trunks was gaping again. "Gohan… and a girl?"

"Yep," Bulma confirmed enthusiastically, still grinning. "Her name's Videl, and she's actually a fighter. She sounds pretty badass, too, from what Gohan's told me about her."

Trunks finally closed his mouth. He turned his gaze to his almost empty plate of rice, a thoughtful frown etching his young features. Gohan had fallen for a girl? He wasn't sure how he felt about that. Sure, it wasn't really his business, but if Gohan were to spend more time with her, would he still have enough time for training him? Or even just hanging out with him? He'd read books about stuff like that; a guy would get a girlfriend and would slowly spend less and less time with his friends. Would that happen to them? Was this… Videl, going to monopolize all of Gohan's attention from now on?

Well, Trunks supposed that if she distracted him from facing the cyborgs so much, that wouldn't be so bad. He knew Gohan wanted to get stronger as fast as he could, and that he was counting on the power boost to help him, but sometimes he just went too far. More often than not, Trunks had been terrified that Gohan wasn't going to make it. It was so horrible to see him on the brink of death, and Trunks truly hoped he would never have to relive that again. Unfortunately, knowing Gohan, it was unlikely…

But this girl might be the solution to Gohan's recklessness. If he really fell for her, then he'd think twice before risking his life so much, right? With his mother, Gohan was all he had left. He was his best friend; he was his big brother. Trunks didn't know what he'd do if something were to happen to Gohan… And frankly, he didn't want to even think about the possibility. Without Gohan around… No, he wasn't going on that road again. Gohan was going to be fine. And he even had a girlfriend now. Things were looking up, right? Gohan should be happier now, right?

"What else did he tell you about her? What is she like?" he asked softly, not looking up from his plate.

"Mm… I believe some of the terms he used were 'gorgeous', 'sassy', and 'lots of fun'," Bulma snickered.

Trunks gave a mild smile. Lots of fun, huh? Well, Gohan certainly deserved to have fun. From the sound of it, Gohan had it pretty bad for that girl already. Trunks just hoped he wasn't going to be left behind.

ooOoo

"The poor, innocent deer."

His face flushed. "Videl…"

"It didn't stand a chance, huh?"

"Videl, that's not funny." He let out an aggravated sigh.

She joined her hands and closed her eyes to mimic a prayer. "May you rest in peace, you delicious animal."

He ran his hand over his still flaming red face. "That is so inappropriate, Videl."

"What? It's common to say a prayer before eating an animal."

"Yes, but you do it ironically. That's not cool, Videl. I don't _like_ killing innocent animals, you know, but we gotta eat somehow, don't we?"

He sighed, hanging his head. Videl giggled, and scooted closer to him on the blanket they were sitting on to wrap her arms around his broad torso, letting her head rest on his shoulder; she watched the deer be roasted over the fire Gohan had made. With some sort of light ball, in fact. His abilities were so extraordinary. The deer certainly hadn't suffered when Gohan swiftly killed it. It had felt kind of surreal, watching Gohan hunt.

He hissed slightly, and Videl loosened her arms, flashing him an awkward smile. "Sorry." Then she smirked. "It's hard to remember you're still hurt after the stamina you've shown me today – _all day_ , might I add."

That adorable blush streaked across his face again, and Videl grinned. Gohan was such a goodie-two-shoes. She loved watching him get outraged when she said stuff like that.

"I'm fine," he mumbled. She arched an eyebrow at him, and then poked his sides, where she knew he had a broken rib. He winced, proving her point.

"Oh really?"

"Yes," he stubbornly said, frowning at her through his blush. "I'm fine as long as you don't poke me."

Videl laughed. "Okay then. Fair enough."

She kissed his cheek, and felt a tug in her chest when his eyes softened as he looked at her, reaching up to cup the side of her face. Ah, this was bad. This was so bad. She was in so deep already… It was going to be so hard to let go…

"It smells delicious, in any case," she said, turning back to the roasting deer.

"Should be ready in a few minutes," Gohan said, with a hint of impatience in his tone. "Man, I'm famished. Maybe I should've caught a fish, too. That deer might not be enough."

She looked at him again, raising her eyebrows at him. "You really weren't kidding about how much you need to eat, huh?"

He gave an awkward chuckle, scratching his hair. Videl smiled at him, and touched his cheek, her expression softening. Damn, was it too late? _Already_? But, no… She couldn't be. It couldn't be too late so soon. She could still do it… Right?

He seemed to sense something was wrong, and bent over to kiss her, ever so gently – as though he was trying to cheer her up. He didn't even ask what was wrong; he didn't try to pry, simply wanted to make her feel better.

Damn him. He just _had_ to make it even harder for her, didn't he?

Nevertheless, Videl allowed herself to stop thinking, even just for a bit, and savored the feeling of Gohan's kisses. For now, she would allow herself to let go. She was going to enjoy this nice picnic, and Gohan's company, and eat this delicious-smelling deer with him.

She was going to give him this one date. And then…

And then…

Her heart clenched painfully. But, she knew what she had to do. And she _had_ to do it. For now, though, she would lose herself to his caress, and forget about the future for a few moments longer.

She didn't want to think about how she was going to break his heart.

* * *

 _Don't forget to review! Even if it's to say you hate me for this, hahaha. xD_

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 _July 25, 2015_


	4. Even Though It's Too Late

_Chapter Four: Even Though It's Too Late_

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Gohan wasn't sure why Videl seemed sad all of a sudden, but his method to get her mind off of it, whatever was upsetting her, seemed to be working. He cupped her cheek, deepening the kiss, losing himself in these wonderful sensations.

Yes, he also loved kissing her. Two birds with one rock, right?

His head was still in a haze when he slowly pulled back, her heavy panting mingling with his, tickling him. She was smiling at him when he opened his eyes, and Gohan felt his heart skip a beat. Ah, how could he be so lucky to have found such an amazing young woman to love? It was hard to believe he'd only met her a few days ago; Gohan felt like he'd known her his whole life. He couldn't even remember what it was like before he knew Videl... Before having his heart stolen by this feisty beauty.

She narrowed her eyes at him through her smile. "What?"

Gohan grinned. He'd been staring again, hadn't he? He rubbed his nose on hers, "Just admiring the view."

She laughed softly, wrapping her arms around his neck, and Gohan wrapped his around her waist, holding her close. He let his forehead rest on hers, his eyes falling shut, and reveled in this heavenly feeling. Holding Videl against him like this… God, he wished he never had to let go.

 _Groowwl._

Gohan blushed slightly. Dang, his own stomach was against him. Reluctantly, he started pulling back, but his eyes softened when he saw Videl grin at him.

"It should be ready now, right?" she asked. Gohan nodded, smiling back at her. He gave her a quick kiss, before standing up from the blanket they'd brought with them, going to the fire where the deer was roasting.

"Yep, it's ready to be served," he observed, and shot Videl a grin as her eyes lit up.

"Well, hurry! I'm starving!"

Gohan chuckled. He grabbed the stick impaling the animal, while Videl got the platter out of the picnic basket and set it on the cloth. She clapped her hands with a big grin as Gohan set the roasted deer on the dish, making him laugh.

"I want to cut it!" she suddenly exclaimed. Gohan raised an eyebrow at her, but then he simply shrugged.

"Go ahead."

Videl took a big knife and a grill fork from the basket, and turned to their meal with avid eyes. Gohan was grinning the whole time; she was just so cute sometimes. Videl began cutting the meat, and Gohan handed her a plate when she was done. She put the large piece on the plate and handed it to him, but Gohan shook his head.

"I told you, I need to eat a lot," he explained. "Take as much as you want to eat, and I'll get the rest."

She raised her eyebrows, and then gave him a smirk. "Alright then. This should be enough for me."

"Are you sure? There won't be any leftover."

She laughed, and Gohan grinned. "Yeah, don't worry. I'm a tiny girl, after all. I don't need a lot."

He snorted in laughter. "Yes… you sure are tiny."

She punched his shoulder. "Hey! _I_ get to say it, but no one else can."

He could see that she was trying to glare at him, but soon she just laughed along with him. Gohan felt his chest swell with warmth. Gosh, he felt so happy. Being with Videl like this, having fun with her, watching her laugh… He really couldn't ask for more.

She was a miracle. She had fallen into his tormented life unexpectedly, taking hold of his heart without him even noticing, and now Gohan was ready to do anything to keep making her laugh like that.

He would do literally anything for Videl.

ooOoo

"This deer is so good," Videl said through her mouthful.

Gohan glanced at her, sitting beside him, and grinned widely. Her cheeks and chin were all covered in the meat's juice, and she was eating with her bare hands, having long abandoned the cutlery they brought with them. Granted, he mustn't be looking much cleaner, eating directly from the stick, but hey, the deer really _was_ delicious.

Maybe it was because of Videl's lovely company, but this meal tasted better than anything he'd ever eaten.

"Agreed," he replied after swallowing. Hey, he may be eating like a pig, but he still had some manners left in him.

Videl was kind of a bad influence on him, though, Gohan thought in amusement.

She met his eyes and they shared smiles. They didn't talk much during the meal, too busy wolfing down their dinner.

"Man, I'm stuffed," Videl sighed, and let herself plop down on the blanket. Gohan smiled; he wasn't done eating yet, since he was having so much more than Videl, but there wasn't much left on the stick either.

From the corner of his eyes, he watched her as he ate. Her eyes were closed, a content smile curved up her lips — and her face was still all dirty. He chuckled to himself, as he finally finished the last bite of meat.

"I can't believe you actually ate all of it," she said, propping herself on her elbows. Gohan moved over to the picnic basket and got out two hand towels. He sat next to Videl and gave her one, wiping his face and hands with the other.

"Thanks," she said, sitting up as she did the same.

Gohan smirked as Videl set down the hand towel. "There's still some left."

"Really?" she said unconvincingly, raising an eyebrow at him. "Are you sure?"

"Let me…"

He pulled her to him and licked her cheek, right on the corner of her lips, before kissing her avidly. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him to her as she lay back on the blanket, dragging him along with her.

"You liar," she breathed out, and Gohan grinned. "I bet there was nothing."

"Well, we'll never know now, will we?" he teased, moving to plant soft, hot kisses on the crook of her neck.

Her breathing deepened, her chest heaving in and out, pressed up against his. Her legs encircled his waist and she tightened them around him, letting out a soft moan when their hips collided, his growing bulge rubbing her sensitive spots and making her shudder.

"Videl," he murmured in her ear, his voice hoarse. "I want to take you again."

She smiled, keeping her eyes closed. "What else do you want to do to me?"

Gohan kissed her in response. She felt his hands moving along her sides, rubbing against the fabric of her tank top, before stopping at the hem of her jeans. He unbuttoned them, and pulled down the zipper. He pulled back from the kiss, and Videl gasped for air. Her face flushed at the look in his eyes.

God, she was going to miss his eyes.

He started pulling down her jeans, and she lifted her legs to help him remove them. Still holding her now bare legs up, Gohan kissed the inside of her thigh. Her breath hitched as he moved closer to her black underwear, kissing her thighs one at a time.

"Gohan…" she whimpered.

He met her gaze, his lips still pressed against her skin, and smirked. "Hm?"

"Stop teasing me…"

He raised an eyebrow, and moved from her legs to tower over her, his hands playing with the hem of her panties without pulling them down. "Then what do you want me to do?"

She narrowed her eyes at him. Oh, so he enjoyed teasing her, huh? Well, two could play that game.

"Eat me out."

Videl smirked, watching with satisfaction as Gohan gaped at her, his whole face turning bright red. Ah, how she loved to fluster him with her crudeness.

She felt him finally pulling down her panties, and he held her gaze as he started descending along her body. There was a new determination in his onyx eyes, the same glint that shone earlier, when he believed he hadn't made her climax on their first time. He started kissing her stomach, while finishing to pull her underwear off her legs, and moved lower; Videl's breathing deepened, her chest heaved faster, and she closed her eyes when she felt his hot breath just over her entrance.

Videl fisted the blanket beneath her when she felt Gohan's tongue on her most sensitive spot. He ran it up and down her vaginal lips, then circled it on her clit before sucking on it. Videl felt like her head was going to explode. She tightened her thighs around his head and her hips bucked. His tongue then moved lower, and Videl let out a gasp when she felt it sliding inside and licking her inner walls.

Gohan started rubbing her clit with his thumb while his tongue still worked in and out of her, and Videl cried out his name, her thighs pressing hard against his head as her body shook in convulsions. But Gohan didn't stop his ministrations; he licked and touched her through her orgasm, and Videl was certain she was going crazy.

He finally released her, and Videl looked at Gohan through half-lidded eyes, panting heavily. He wiped his mouth with his fingers and licked them clean, holding her gaze all the while. Videl swallowed, feeling her core burn at the sight of him. God, he was so hot.

"Fuck me, Gohan," she breathed out. "Now."

He chuckled, and leaned closer to nibble her neck. Videl shivered. "You're so impatient, Videl… I was only getting started."

He started pulling up her tank top, and brought his face down between her breasts; she hadn't put a bra back on, so Gohan was free to play with them. Ahh… He was suckling on her nipple now, and kneading her other breast. She was really going insane. How long was he going to torture her? She needed _him_ , right _now_!

Blindly, she felt for his abdomen, and reached for his belt. It was hard to focus on untying the thing with Gohan still busying himself on her bust. She grunted in frustration, and just untied the knot of his gi pants before grabbing his length with both of her hands. Gohan stilled his movements when she did, and Videl smirked as she began stroking him, teasing his tip. He took a shaky breath, burying his face between her boobs.

His hands moved to her hips. "O… Okay… I give up…"

His voice was hoarse and throaty, and Videl swallowed, the sound of it making her even wetter. He moved up to hover over her, looking into her eyes, and Videl felt like he was staring right into her soul. Her breathing hitched, her chest heaved deeply.

"Fuck me, Gohan," she uttered out, her voice quivering.

He kissed her, claiming her mouth avidly, possessively — and then he claimed _her_ , and Videl cried out against lips as Gohan started pounding her relentlessly right from the start.

She broke the kiss — the pleasure was too much, too intense. Gohan smirked at her, thrusting deeper, harder, his heavy breathing tickling her lips. Oh God… What was he doing to her…? At this rate, she was going to… She… she was…

Videl wrapped her legs around his waist tightly and shut her eyes, crying out in ecstasy. Gohan grunted, feeling her walls clenching and trembling around him, but didn't let it make him slow down. He pushed harder and faster, making Videl writhe in pleasure and prolonging her climax.

He kissed her, and she responded sloppily, too mind-boggled to do much more. He kissed her cheek, her chin, and moved down along her throat, licking his way to the crook of her neck. He breathed in deeply, basking in her delicious scent, and sped up some more. He wanted to make her go crazy — to make her crazy for him. He pounded her senselessly, his fingers digging into her hips, craving for more of the delectable friction.

Gohan straightened himself, moving on his knees to have better leverage, and lifted her legs up over his shoulders. He smirked, watching through half-lidded eyes as Videl squirmed in pleasure, her eyes shut tightly and her hands fisting the cloth beneath them, her knuckles turning white.

God, she was so gorgeous.

Gohan couldn't resist; he leaned closer again, bringing her legs along with him, and planted his lips on hers, pushing his tongue inside her mouth. He felt his stomach tighten; he was getting close, _really_ close, but Gohan still didn't slow down and kept kissing Videl. She grabbed his head between her palms, moaning into his mouth, and Gohan thrust even harder. He detached his lips from hers and they gasped for air; he pressed his forehead to hers, grabbed her hips, and kept going faster and faster.

"Gah…" He was so close now… He just needed a little more and then —

"Aahh! Gohan! _Gohaann_!" Videl cried out, and Gohan gritted his teeth, feeling her inner walls trembling and shaking uncontrollably around his dick. The tremors were too much, and Gohan let out a long groan as he felt his release shoot inside Videl.

He collapsed on top of her, nuzzling her neck. Videl moved her legs from his shoulders to a more comfortable position on the blanket, and wrapped her arms around his neck.

They stayed like this for a while, catching their breath, still connected, holding each other close. Then, Gohan finally pulled out; he hoisted himself on his forearms, grinning at Videl blissfully, and leaned in to give her a gentle kiss.

Videl melted. She tightened her arms around his neck and deepened the kiss, and Gohan responded just as avidly and fervently.

They shared smiles as they pulled back, their heavy breathing mingling and tickling.

"You know, you're awfully good at this. Are you sure I was your first?" Videl teased playfully. Gohan only grinned broadly, rubbing his nose against hers.

"You're the only one for me, Videl."

She laughed slightly and rolled her eyes. "You can be so cheesy sometimes, Gohan."

He shrugged, still grinning like an idiot. He rolled to the side, bringing Videl along with him and holding her against him. She smiled at him, and Gohan leaned in for another kiss.

"What about you?" he asked when he pulled back. "I know I wasn't your first. How many did you have before me?"

She arched an eyebrow at him, smirking. "Do you really want to know?"

"I don't care about the others," he said, and kissed her forehead. "You're with me now… I'm just curious."

He felt Videl tense up slightly in his arms and frowned in confusion. Did he say something wrong?

"There were," she started to say. "Hm… Let me count."

He quirked an eyebrow. "You actually need to count? Were they that many?" He grinned in amusement when she sent him a mock glare and punched his chest.

"Shut up, I just never kept track," she defended, and stuck her tongue out at him. She thought for a moment and then gave her answer. "I had six other guys before you."

Gohan raised his eyebrows. "Well, that's not a little," he remarked in amusement. "So I'm the seventh, huh?" He grinned. "That's a lucky number, isn't it?"

But instead of bantering along with him, Videl's smile fell, her eyes clouded over, and she looked away… Gohan felt his chest give a painful pang for some reason. He cupped her cheek, tilting her head slightly so she was looking at him again.

"I've only had one night stands, Gohan," she said in a hushed tone, looking like she was forcing the words out. "And you… And you, Gohan…"

Her voice broke, and Videl buried her face into his torso. Gohan felt throat tighten, and swallowed thickly, trying to get the lump down. What… What happened all of a sudden…?

Oh God, oh God… Was she…? Oh God, no, she was _crying_! Her shoulders were shaking, and his chest was getting wet… Gohan tightened his arms around Videl, closing his eyes in pain. Seeing her like this, feeling her tiny body tremble against him… This was the worst. If only he knew how to make Videl feel better…

God, he hated this.

"Videl…?" he tried, his voice hoarse and laced with worry. "Videl, what's wrong? Please, talk to me…"

She sobbed against his chest. "I'm so sorry, Gohan…" He rubbed her back, hoping to soothe her. "I wanted to give you at least one day, and forget… But I… I can't do this. I can't do this anymore. I'm so sorry, Gohan… I'm so sorry…"

What… What was she _saying_? Gohan swallowed again. He felt sick. He felt like something was churning him in the chest, twisting and turning agonizingly. She couldn't be telling him what he thought she was saying, right? Not after everything that happened between them… She couldn't… She wouldn't...

Videl managed to calm down a little, and pulled away from him. Gohan watched her with a horrible ache in his heart as she sat up and started getting dressed, sniffing every now and then.

"Videl…" he murmured, his voice having trouble coming out as it became too hard to breathe for him.

"I only had one night stands," she said again, purposely turning away from him. She rubbed her eyes with her knuckles, before starting putting her jeans back on. "And you, Gohan…" Her voice lowered to a whisper. "The only difference is that you got the whole day."

Something shattered inside of him. The pain was so intense and awful that Gohan thought he might die. He forgot how to breathe for a few long moments, and suddenly sucked in a shaky breath.

He felt like he could cry.

And here he'd thought… He thought the universe was finally cutting him some slack. But no, he only fell in love so that his heart could be ripped out of his chest. He was only given happiness just so it could be taken away from him just as abruptly, leaving him alone and broken.

"Why are you doing this?" he croaked out, watching helplessly as she tied her heavy heeled oxfords. She didn't say anything, didn't even acknowledge him or glance his way.

His body reacted before he could process what he was doing, and in a split second, he'd grabbed Videl's wrist and pinned her down under his weight.

And still, she was looking away from him.

"You can't just brush me off like that, Videl… You just can't," he uttered out, his voice brittle. Damn it, he _had_ to hold it together. He didn't want to look weak in front of her, on top of everything else. "I know you have feelings for me. You can't fake that kind of complicity, of chemistry… of intimacy…"

"It was just sex," she retorted, still avoiding his gaze. Gohan's features hardened.

"No, it wasn't. It was much more than that, and you know it, Videl." He was breathing heavily now. His heart was pounding like crazy. "You're just pretending so you can just throw me away like I mean nothing… But I… I _know_ I mean to you... Damn it, Videl, you can't do this to me. You can't toss me away like that, not after everything that's happened."

She closed her eyes. Gohan's throat tightened more than ever; she looked like she was about to cry again.

"I don't want to make it worse, Gohan," she whispered, so low he barely heard her. Videl opened her eyes and finally looked at him, and Gohan, unable to stop himself, cupped her cheek. "Gohan, no… Please… It'll hurt so much worse if we stay together. I can't do this again… I can't lose someone I care about again. I've lost everyone, Gohan. _Everyone_. I can't go through that again."

"But I…" He swallowed. God, his throat was so dry. "I told you, I'll kill the cyborgs. I've never been closer to surpassing them, Videl. I'm not going to die, I won't let that happen."

She shook her head, her eyes shut tightly. "No, I don't believe you. You can't know what's going to happen, and even as strong as you are," She opened her eyes to look at him again, tears welling up in them. "Even as strong as you are, Gohan, I don't think even you can beat them. You're more likely going to lose the battle… One day, they're going to get tired of you, Gohan, and then… and then…"

Her voice broke and she brought her hands to her face, hiding her tears from him. Gohan felt so helpless, so useless. He moved away from her, turning away from the sight of Videl, sobbing. He couldn't take it anymore. It hurt too much. Seeing her like this, so broken and fragile…

God, it hurt so much.

He wanted to kiss her tears away, to hold her close to his heart, and whisper in her ear that everything was going to be alright… He wanted to tell her that she had nothing to fear, that he would do anything for her… That he wasn't going to lose against those monsters. That he'd do anything in his power to stay alive.

But that was the one thing he couldn't promise her. She was right. He'd been fighting for a decade already and, although he had gotten so much stronger, it was still not enough to beat the cyborgs. He thought he was close, but who was to say what the full extent of their power actually was? What if he was still far, far behind them, only deluding himself into thinking he was almost at their level?

But he knew he had it in him. He was just… He was just so alone. If his father were still there, and Piccolo… With both of them by his side, Gohan knew he could've gotten so much stronger. He could've done it, if only he weren't so alone in this battle… Trunks was just so young, and Gohan still wished to keep him away from all the fighting and violence. If only they hadn't all died, all those years ago...

"Do you have this little faith in me?" he muttered, forcing himself to look back at Videl. She wasn't crying anymore. She was lying on her side in a fetal position, holding her legs against her, and sniffing every so often.

"I don't want to suffer more than I have to, Gohan," she whispered, and closed her eyes. "It's not too late yet… I just need to move on and forget about you… I have to."

"Well it's too late for _me_!" he retorted heatedly all of a sudden, and grabbed her shoulder to roll her on her back; he hovered over her, on his knees, with his arms outstretched and his hands clutching the blanket on either side of her head. "It's too late for me, Videl," he said again, his voice low and throaty this time. "I'm already… I've already… Damn it, Videl, I'm in lo—!"

"No!" She suddenly put both of her hands over his mouth, cutting him off before he could tell her how he felt. Her eyes burned with angry tears as she glared at him. "Don't you dare, Gohan! Don't you dare say it, or I swear I'll kill you!"

She was still covering his mouth, as though she was afraid he might still say it… He reached for her wrists, and gently pried her hands away. He smiled at her sadly.

He had lost. It was over.

He had lost Videl.

"Okay, I get it," he said softly. He cupped her face, staring deeply into her eyes. God, those eyes of her... "I won't say it," he murmured, forcing the words out. "I'll get out of your life."

Her chin quivered, and more tears rolled down her temples. Gohan brushed them away with his thumbs - and then his lips planted on hers in desperation. He put everything he had into that kiss, all of his pain and despair, all of his hopes, all of his love for her… He wanted her to feel it, at least… If she wouldn't let him say it, Gohan still wanted Videl to know, somehow…

"I hate you…" she whispered against his lips, breathless.

Gohan still kept kissing her, savoring how her mouth, her tongue tasted, loving the way her body pressed up to his, basking in her beautiful scent... and trying to ignore the salty taste of her tears...

Trying to forget that this was their very last kiss.

Gohan finally pulled back, pressing his forehead to hers as he tried to catch his breath. He moved back slightly then, staring into Videl's eyes. He wanted to memorize everything about her, each and every one of her features. He didn't want to forget anything about Videl. Maybe she wanted to forget about him and move on, but Gohan knew such a thing was impossible for him at this point. It was much too late for him. He loved her too much already — he would never be able to forget Videl, even if he tried.

And he didn't want to forget. He wanted to hold on every little detail about her. He wanted to remember every moment he spent with her.

She was his first kiss, his first time, his first love.

His only love.

"Thank you for giving me this one day with you."

He saw tears well up in her eyes, but Gohan didn't want to see her cry again. He moved off of her and reached for his fighting boots. Wordlessly, he put them back on. He could feel Videl's eyes on him, but forced himself not to look up and meet her gaze.

It was over now. No need to linger any more.

He tied up his _gi_ pants, and stood up. "Do you want me to help you get everything back at your place?" he offered, though still without looking at her. He didn't really want to stall any longer, but Gohan felt as if he had to ask. His mother's upbringing, no doubt.

"No, I'll be fine…"

He hated how weak and hushed her voice sounded. Unable to resist anymore, Gohan glanced at Videl, and she met his gaze with a sad smile.

He wanted to see her real smile. Or even her teasing smirk. Anything would be better than this… God, he hated how sad she looked. Why was she doing this to them? To herself? She was obviously hurting, watching him go, so would it even be worth it? Would she actually be able to move on? Or did she just break both of their hearts for nothing?

"Then, I guess this is goodbye," he said, hoping she couldn't hear in how much pain he was from his small voice.

"Goodbye, Gohan," she breathed out.

They held each other's gaze for a few moments longer, him just standing there, and Videl still sitting on the blanket of their picnic. God, that seemed like a lifetime ago… All the fun they'd had, and how amazing and... fulfilling it had felt to make love to her… He knew Videl wouldn't like the term, but to him that was what it'd been.

He felt his eyes sting again, and turned away from Videl, fighting down a sob. Oh God, this was too hard. He'd held on until now somehow, but this time, Gohan really felt like he was about to break down. He swallowed thickly, and bit back the tears threatening to burst out.

"Goodbye, Videl... Please stay alive," he whispered under his breath.

The next moment, his aura exploded around him and he blasted off, forcing himself not to look back. As he flew away from the woman he loved, his tears evaporated the moment they left his eyes, as if they never existed.

It was over. No need to linger.

ooOoo

The moment Gohan flew off Videl felt the knot in her stomach twist and tighten once more, aching worse than ever; it rose to her throat, made her eyes sting, and before she knew it Videl broke down again. She collapsed on the blanket and hugged herself, as she wept like a child.

God, it hurt so much. It felt like something was ripped out of her chest and brutally torn apart. Videl didn't want to admit it, but she knew that it was her heart.

Shit. Shit, shit, shit, shit. It really was too late already. God, she was such an idiot. How could she be so stupid? How could she let it happen? She knew, she _knew_ it could only end badly between them. She should've left when she had the chance! Why did she wait for him? Why did she inflict this to herself?

How stupid could she be to let herself fall in love?

It really was too late. Somehow, Gohan had infected her heart, and there was no cure for this illness. It was too late. She had hoped to avoid suffering, but letting Gohan go felt like a bullet shot right through her heart.

She knew it would end up like this, and yet she still let it happen. She actually let it happen, stupidly allowing Gohan to make her fall for him, with his boyish charm, his goofy smiles, his adorable awkwardness… And his kisses, his touch, his voice, his scent… All of him…

God, she was completely crazy about him.

Videl shut her eyes, biting down on her lip to hold down another sob. She wanted him back. She wanted to feel his strong arms around her, holding her tightly, and she wanted his lips crashing on hers, ravaging her mouth the way only he could. She wanted him here, with her. She wanted to feel his touch again, to have his hands, his lips all over her… to lose herself to him once more.

She wanted Gohan back. But that could never happen. She did the right thing. It may be too late, but if she let Gohan into her life, if she actually chose to be with him, Videl knew it would have only made things worse. She was bound to fall harder and harder for him the more time she spent with him, and then, she would lose him, too, like she had lost everyone that ever mattered in her life. But losing Gohan then would've hurt so much worse.

It was already unbearable now, just letting him go. Videl didn't even want to imagine what losing him would be like.

She sniffed, rubbing her face with her hands. More tears came out, but at least she wasn't sobbing anymore.

She was doing the right thing. Yes, it was too late for her heart, and yes, it hurt like hell, but with time, she would heal. With time, her feelings for Gohan would slowly fade, and he would eventually become just a memory. The memory of her first love; her most precious memory — but a memory nonetheless.

And if his time ever came… If the cyborgs one day decided to quit playing around with him and kill him...

Oh God... Just the idea of Gohan dying felt like a dagger through her chest.

But... surely, with time, she would be able to take it. If she stayed away from him long enough, if she was just patient, surely it wouldn't hurt so bad if it ever happened.

God, she hoped she was right… But, most of all, what she truly wished… She wished with all of her heart that Gohan was going to make it. She hoped that he was going to kill 17 and 18 and save the world from these pests.

And then… Videl allowed herself a hopeful smile. She knew it was stupid and risky to hope in these times, but she couldn't help herself. If Gohan really were to do it, if he actually managed to save the world from the cyborgs, then… Then she could be with him. Nothing would be in their way anymore.

Ahh… If only…

ooOoo

It was very late when Chichi was woken up by the doorbell. Yawning and rubbing her eyes, she glanced at her bedside clock and frowned slightly. Who would come to see her at past midnight? Who would visit her at all, for that matter? It couldn't be her father, that was for sure.

Her heart skipped a beat and her eyes widened in realization, and then Chichi was running out of her room and through the house, hoping she was assuming right. Her quick steps came to a stop at the front door, which flew open the next moment.

She froze. Not because she had been right. Not because she was overwhelmed with emotion after months and months of not seeing her only son. It wasn't because of the tattered condition of his training pants, or the bandages covering most of his topless upper body and around his head, either.

No, the reason Son Chichi was rooted on the spot in that moment, was because of the tears running down Gohan's cheeks as he stood there, on her doorstep, looking at her with the most heart wrenching expression.

He took a step towards her. "Mom…"

Oh God, his voice was so faint and broken.

Chichi snapped out of it, and suddenly pulled her baby boy to her and crushed him in a hug. He held her tightly against him, let out a sob into her loose hair; his whole body was trembling. Chichi closed her eyes and shed a few silent tears, squeezing her small arms around Gohan's quivering form.

"What happened to you, Gohan?" she asked in a hushed voice, more to herself than to him. She knew her son was in no condition to give her a clear answer in this state.

He only held her tighter and continued to weep, letting out a sob every so often. Chichi felt so helpless. God, she hated this. It was even worse than worrying about him fighting those damned cyborgs. At least then, even when he lost against them, Gohan would only become more determined to get stronger and beat those monsters.

But now… Oh, what happened to him? What could've possibly put her sweet boy in such a miserable state? It was breaking her heart. Seeing her dear Gohan like this. It was the most horrible feeling.

They stood there for a while, on the doorstep; the front door was still wide open as mother and son held onto each other for dear life. The only sounds disturbing the silence were Gohan's soft sobs, along with the noises coming from nature outside, in the background. Soft hums of crickets and night birds, some howls from the wild animals out there, and there was the river flowing near the house, and the sound of leaves rustling in the breeze.

"Mom," Gohan croaked out feebly and sniffed. "Could you cook me my favorites, please?"

Chichi pulled back and smiled. She touched his cheek, brushing away the wet trails with her thumb. "Of course, sweetie. I'll get right to it."

Gohan hugged her again. "You're the best, Mom."

She laughed softly and patted his back, before pulling away from her boy. She looked at him, and mentally corrected herself with a pang in her chest. Gohan was a man, now. He got so big... Where did the time fly?

"Come on, let's get to the kitchen."

A sad smile curved his lips ever so slightly; Gohan nodded, and rubbed his face with the back of his hand. He closed the door behind him, took off his boots, and followed Chichi to the kitchen.

Twisting her long hair in a quick bun with a chopstick, she immediately got to work. Thankfully, she always kept the ingredients of Gohan's favorite food stored in her kitchen, just in case he ever came to visit. She started boiling the water for the rice, got out the vegetable she was going to need for the gravy and salads, as well as two chickens, three steaks, and a whole lot of fish from the freezer. Luckily, even though it was frozen, her son would have no trouble helping her with that.

"Would you mind?" she asked with a knowing smile. Her heart warmed as Gohan's features seemed to relax some more; he got up from the chair at the kitchen table, walked to her, and held out his hand to use his _ki_ in order to defrost the meat and the fish.

"That should do," he said, his voice still weak and hoarse from crying. But at least, the hint of a smile was curving his lips.

"Thank you, sweetie."

She gave his arm a squeeze, and Gohan nodded his head, before going back to sit at the table.

And Chichi got back to work. She cut a few eggplants into circles, intending to grill them with a few other ingredients, for she knew how much Gohan loved them that way. It would be a nice first course, too, and a good way to help him wait for the feast she was cooking for him.

It was ready only a few minutes later, and she served him a large plate. Gohan's eyes lit up, and so did Chichi's as she watched him get started with a fond smile.

"Ahh, it's so good," he sighed in content after swallowing. "You're the best mom in the world."

Hyped up by his compliment, Chichi got back to work with renewed vigor. She chopped and cut and boiled and cooked, and finally, less than an hour later, she'd somehow managed to get everything ready. Everything except the dessert: the sponge cake was still in the oven, and she intended on using it to make a chocolate and strawberry cake.

Watching the color returning to Gohan's face as he devoured the feast she had cooked for him warmed up her heart, and Chichi truly felt like she was doing a great job as a mom. She'd always said it: food was the best medicine, and it was even more true for her half-Saiyan son.

Just as Gohan was finishing up the last few plates, the oven's alarm went _ding_ , and Chichi hurried to get the cake out, before setting to work and completing the chocolate and strawberry coating. Wiping her forehead with the back of her wrist, Chichi looked at the result proudly. Perfect.

"Oh, Mom, you spoil me too much," Gohan said sheepishly as she set the platter on the table.

Chichi ran her hand through his hair and kissed his bandaged forehead. "Nonsense. Nothing is too much for my baby."

He held her back when she started moving away, and wrapped his right arm around her waist to hold her close. Chichi's expression softened, and she kissed the top of his head.

"Thank you, Mom," he said, his voice low and throaty. "I love you so much."

Her heart swelled with warmth yet clenched in worry at the same time. She itched to ask what had happened to him to put him in such a broken state, but Chichi didn't want to force Gohan to think about it. He was finally smiling again, and after seeing him so miserable and distressed… She'd rather never know about whatever had happened to her son than see him in that awful state again.

"I love you too, sweetie," she replied in a gentle voice, tousling his hair softly. "Well, how about some cake now, hm?" she chuckled.

But Gohan kept his arms around her and let out a soft sigh, seeming unwilling to let go just yet.

 _You just needed your mommy, didn't you, Gohan?_ she thought with a pang, hugging him back.

After some time, Gohan still didn't seem ready to let go of her. "Mom…" he croaked out hoarsely, his arms tightening around her. "Mom… How did you manage after Dad passed away? How did you get over it?"

Her throat tightened. Could this be about… Could her baby boy be…? She swallowed. She was not ready for this. Yes, Gohan was a man, but he was still her baby. She didn't want him to grow up so fast. He was still too young… Oh, could he have fallen in love? Chichi swallowed.

Did Gohan have his heart broken?

"I had you," she whispered in response. "I wasn't alone, as long as I had you with me. And I forced myself to stay strong for you, and that helped me a lot. Because I had to be there for you, I didn't have time to think too much about losing your father."

Gohan sighed. "I'm glad I have you too, Mom. I don't know what I'd do without you sometimes…"

"Miss my cooking, no doubt," she joked, and Gohan's shoulders shook slightly as he laughed.

"That's for sure," he chuckled. Gohan finally let her go, and his eyes softened as he looked at her. Chichi touched his cheek affectionately, and he closed his eyes.

"You'll be alright, Gohan," she whispered. "Whatever happened… I know you'll be alright, as long as I'm here for you." She kissed his forehead, and moved over to sit at the table next to him. "Now eat that cake."

He smiled mildly, and nodded his head, turning to the chocolate and strawberry cake. She knew it was his favorite; he never could choose which he liked best between a chocolate or a strawberry cake, so for his sixth birthday she had baked that very cake for him, and she continued to do so year after year for his birthday. Sometimes, Gohan would ask her for the cake even though there was no special occasion, but Chichi was always happy to cook for her boy.

He was all she had left.

With a content smile and a sigh of satisfaction, Gohan leaned back to his chair and rubbed his stomach.

"That was so good. You're the best cook in the world, Mom," he said, his eyes closing.

He covered his mouth with his hand as he yawned, and a gentle smile curved Chichi's lips. "How about we get you to bed now?"

He nodded his head, keeping his eyes closed. She felt her heart swell in warmth, seeing him like this, like a child. She stood, went over to him, and hoisted him up. Gohan blinked his eyes open and looked down at her with his eyebrows raised in apparent surprise. Then he let out a soft chuckle.

"I tend to forget just how strong you are — physically I mean," he added in amusement. "But I can walk on my own, Mom."

"If you say so," Chichi replied, letting go of him.

The next moment, she was enveloped in his strong arms again, and her feet lifted off the floor as Gohan held her tightly.

"Thank you so much, Mom… for everything," he whispered. "And I'm sorry I woke you up and made you cook for me this late."

"Don't you dare apologize for letting me do my job," Chichi retorted, responding to the hug just as tightly. "I'm your mom twenty-four-seven, Gohan. It doesn't just stop at night — and I wouldn't have it any other way. If you ever need me, I'll _always_ be available for you, Gohan. That's what I'm here for, so don't ever hesitate, okay?"

His arms loosened around her, and Gohan let her touch the floor again as he slowly let go. Chichi's heart clenched at the gentle, yet still sad glint in his eyes.

"Yeah, I know." He kissed her forehead. "I'm so lucky you're my mom." He pulled away and gave her a mild smile.

"I better get your bed ready," Chichi said, passing by him to go out of the kitchen. "How about you go take a bath in the meantime?" she suggested as she reached the open door, looking at him over her shoulder.

"That sounds nice."

ooOoo

As Gohan soaked in the warm water, he was unable to relax; his attention was elsewhere. In the corner of his mind, he kept tabs on Videl's flaring _ki_ : she'd been fighting for most of the night, probably in another underground parking lot like in the night he'd met her, or someplace similar.

Gohan lowered himself in the tub, dipping his chin in the water, and let out a deep sigh. She had been at it for hours, obviously coming out victorious after each fight. Images of her fights that one night flashed through his head, and Gohan couldn't help the worry constricting his stomach. She was just as reckless as him when it came to fighting, but Videl also tended to get overconfident and make careless mistakes. How injured was she going to come out of tonight's fights? The mere idea of her getting the tiniest of bruise was painful to him, and Gohan knew, with the way he'd seen Videl fighting, that she was bound to get hurt despite her winning streak.

It was so late already. When would these fights end? Gohan closed his eyes, focusing on Videl's energy signature. It had been getting steadily weaker throughout the night, and it was really starting to worry him. Videl must be exhausted. She had barely paused for a break too; she'd basically been fighting non-stop for several hours. Gohan swallowed. Was it his fault? Was fighting the way she coped with their break-up? Was she going to keep getting into those brutal fights, night after night, for as long as she was hurting?

The sound of her sobbing, and the sight of her distraught, teary eyes haunted him. Gohan's breathing deepened, feeling a stabbing sensation in his chest as his eyes started stinging again. He swallowed again, and gritted his teeth, willing himself not to break down again.

Damn it, he didn't want it to be over. How was he supposed to get on with his life without Videl? She had given him so much hope, so much strength… and now he felt completely, utterly, and desperately empty.

He wanted her back. He wanted their happiness back. God, how could the most beautiful day of his entire life break his heart so much? He wanted to be with Videl — he wanted to be allowed to love her.

He just wanted her back.

Gohan sighed, and finally drained the now lukewarm water in the bathtub before standing up, droplets dripping from his soaked skin and hair. He stepped out onto the bath mat, and picked up the towel, wincing slightly as he dried himself; he was still pretty sore since his fight against the cyborgs, and since he'd had to take off his bandages for the bath nothing was holding his broken ribs in place anymore.

He sat on the rim of the tub, rubbing the towel on his hair distractedly. Videl had just won another fight, and her _ki_ was steadily calming down. Was she finally done? Or would he be feeling her aura flaring up again in just a few minutes? He hoped that was the end of it… It was almost two o'clock in the morning; wasn't it about time to call it a night?

But soon enough, less than a minute later, Videl's _ki_ was skyrocketing again. Gohan closed his eyes in frustration. _Damn it, Videl, at least take a break!_

She could be so annoyingly stubborn… Gohan smiled to himself. Yeah, and that was just one of the many things he loved about her.

He let out a sigh, and then stood up and reached over for the clothes his mother had given him. They were his father's; just a tank top and a pair of boxers; his dad never wore proper pajamas for bed, after all.

He winced as he made a wrong move while he got dressed, his sides burning like hell. Dang. He needed new bandages. He hadn't realized just how bad of a state his ribs were in with the bandaging work the doctors had done to him; they'd sure done an excellent job of it, too.

He went over to the medical cabinet, and easily found what he sought. He didn't think he could do it himself though, and he felt bad for asking more of his mother, but he wasn't going to get any sleep if the slightest movement was going to hurt so much. Sighing in resignation, Gohan walked out of the bathroom and carefully stepped into the hallway. _How_ had he been able to spend the _whole friggin' day_ in bed with Videl in the state he was in? Yes, it did hurt at times, but not _like this_. Man, those doctors were sure good at their jobs — he certainly felt the difference!

He got to his old room... and sighed hopelessly at the sight that met him there. His mother was actually _dusting_ his furniture. Was that really necessary? Seriously, she should've just gone to bed. He felt bad enough to have woken her up in the middle of the night, despite what she had said.

"Mom," he mumbled, running a tired hand over his face. "Are you serious? Do you really need to clean my room, on top of everything else?"

She turned to him, and put her hands on her hips, her face serious. "Well, of course! I can't let you sleep here when it's all dusty and musty. What kind of mother would I be if I did that? It's my own fault for not keeping it clean all this time anyway."

He let out an uneasy chuckle and steadily walked to sit on his bed. "Well, it's clean enough now, isn't it? Besides, I need your help with these bandages…"

"Oh, yes, of course." Chichi almost ran to reach him, and sat down beside him. She took the roll of bandage from him, and helped him take off his tank top.

Her brow furrowed at the sight of his blackened and scarred skin, and Gohan blushed in shame. He hated making his mother worry about him… But it wasn't like it was his choice. He was the only one strong enough to fight those hateful machines, so whether he liked it or not he had to try.

He really did hate fighting sometimes. He often wondered why someone like him always had so much potential in something he didn't even enjoy. Perhaps if he'd been more like his dad, he could've gotten stronger more easily. Perhaps the only thing he lacked to kill those damned cyborgs was the thrill of the battle that characterized Saiyans. Even humans like Videl and the men in those street fights had more of a fighting spirit than him.

His mom's skills were pretty much as good as the doctors who had made him the bandages, Gohan observed in admiration. He wondered distractedly how many times she'd had to take care of his dad's injuries throughout their marriage, especially when he'd come home all bruised from training. He remembered in the two years or so his father had spent with them after the whole Namek fiasco, when they would train together, sometimes with Piccolo, too, and his mom would scream at the three of them because of the state they were in. But his father would always wink at him and somehow manage to calm his mother down.

Despite everything, his parents had had a really good relationship. They had been happy together, and though they had had many differences, mainly involving him for that matter, Gohan had always been able to see the love they shared.

He really did wonder how his mom had managed to get over the death of his father. He honestly thought he'd die of a broken heart if something ever happened to Videl.

Gohan let out a shaky breath. The mere thought of it was enough to get him all worked up. God, how could he love her so much after such little time spent with her?

His chest constricted suddenly when he felt her _ki_ falter, before bursting out once again. Was she at her limits? He swallowed, his heart dropping into the pit of his stomach. Just how badly did Videl get herself hurt?

"Everything okay? Did I hurt you?" his mother asked in concern, and Gohan berated himself for the worry lines creasing her brow.

"No… That's not it." He sighed. Maybe he should tell his mother about Videl…

She frowned, but didn't pry any further as she continued to bandage his sides. It was kind of strange, in a way. His mother had always seemed to need to know everything about him, especially if something was wrong. And yet now… Had he been in such a pitiful state that she wouldn't even try to bring up the cause of his suffering?

"Mom… I've fallen in love," he breathed out, his voice barely a whisper. She looked up at him and held her breath.

"You don't have to tell me about it, Gohan…" she said softly, focusing back on her work.

"It's okay… It's not like I could stop thinking about her even if I tried..." He sighed again. He seemed to be doing that a lot. "It's over anyway."

Her eyes brimming with tears, Chichi touched his cheek. "Oh, my poor baby… You're too young to have your heart broken…"

He managed a smile, but it only came out sad and forced. "I'll be fine, Mom, don't worry. If you could get over dad dying… then I should be able to get over her too, right?"

She hugged him and cried softly into his chest. Gohan swallowed, gently holding his tiny mom against him. Was it such a good idea to tell her…? He didn't want to add to her grief, but he'd believed she should know what had happened to him. But, looking at his mom now… Gohan heaved out a sigh, holding his mother close. He was so sick of all the crying, his own as well as his mother's and Videl's… It was hard to believe that just a few hours ago, he'd never felt more complete in his life.

"She's still fighting…" he mumbled to himself. "Damn it, Videl…"

Chichi pulled back to look at her son in confusion. He gave her a mild smile and answered her unspoken question.

"She's a fighter; that's how we met actually. Bulma had asked me to investigate some clandestine street fights, and Videl — that's her name — she was one of the runner-ups." He frowned, his gaze shifting to the side and glazing over. "She's been fighting for hours now. She keeps winning, but she must be so exhausted… I'm really worried…"

"Should you be following her _ki_ like that?" asked Chichi, quirking an eyebrow. Gohan blushed slightly, and scratched his cheek uneasily.

"It's not like I can't help it…" he mumbled in defense. "Her _ki_ gets really high when she's fighting, it's hard to miss." He then cracked a smile. "I think she's stronger than you, too."

His mother huffed and crossed her arms in mock indignation. "Well, of course! I'm not in my prime anymore — if I'd kept training I'd still be the strongest female fighter in the world!"

Gohan chuckled softly. "That, I have no doubt about."

Her eyes softened; Chichi got up then, and bent over to kiss his forehead. "Go to sleep now. Or do I need to tuck you in, as well?" she added playfully.

"I think I'll pass. Maybe next time?"

Chichi laughed slightly, and tousled his hair gently. Gohan closed his eyes and allowed a tiny smile to form on his lips. Nothing could replace a mother's love.

"Good night, Gohan."

"Good night, Mom."

They exchanged mild smiles, and Gohan finally went under the covers, while Chichi walked to the door. She turned off the light.

"Mom?" he called softly, just as she was about to close the door.

"Yes, honey?"

Gohan closed his eyes and yawned. "I love you."

Chichi chuckled. "I love you too, sweetie. Now _sleep_."

He smiled slightly. "Yes Mom."

ooOoo

Sometimes Videl really impressed herself. She didn't think she'd ever lasted this long in the street fights. Yes, she was exhausted and sore all over, but it was the kind that felt _good_. She'd been winning all night, and the crowd was going wild. Most of them were gambling on her, but some kept thinking she was done for and would collapse in fatigue soon enough. She smirked to herself. How she loved to disprove the fools who didn't believe she was cut for it. It made winning all the more satisfying.

But she felt she was at her limits. If she fought again, she might lose this time, and she couldn't afford to lose all the winnings she'd gained tonight. She needed to survive in this world somehow, and money was vital.

Fighting without any restraint like that sure felt great; she had managed to vent all of her sorrow and frustration through violence, and now her tank was running on empty. The ache in her heart was still there, but she was so spent and stinging all over, that it was almost easy to forget about it. God, she loved fighting so much. It was a shame she didn't have the stamina to keep at it all night long.

"And that's the Devil's twenty-third win in a row! That girl is on fire!" the organizer of the fights exclaimed, getting the audience even wilder. Videl went to him and said something to his ear, and he sighed in disappointed. "Aww, it seems she's done for tonight. I still can't believe she's won against so many runner-ups! Let's give her a round of applause, guys! She's more than proved that women aren't to be underestimated! She sure can fight, can't she?"

Videl smirked as the crowd cheered for her louder than ever. It felt good to be appreciated.

Unknown to her, as she collected her prize and went on her way, a young warrior sighed in relief as he lay on his bed, and was finally able to fall asleep.

Videl had barely enough energy left to walk home, and it felt like it was taking forever to get there. She really wished she could afford a car… Maybe if she saved enough… Perhaps she ought to hunt for her own meals herself, too. She would need weapons, of course; she wasn't at Gohan's level to be able to just give a chop to a deer and kill it in an instant like he had.

She sighed to herself as her heart gave a painful throb, and she kicked some pebbles away. She really shouldn't be thinking about Gohan anymore… But it was beyond her control. He was always there, in her mind, in her heart… His touch, his kisses, his heavy breaths still lingered all over her being — and his heart wrenching, desperate, and hurting eyes… They haunted her. Ahh… Was she ever going to get over him? Was breaking it off really the right thing to do…? No, she couldn't start doubting now… It was for the best; she knew it, and she hoped that Gohan saw it too.

"Hey babe, damn you look hot as fu—"

 _BAM_. Almost absent-mindedly, Videl swatted the hindrance away with a well-placed punch to the face, and he cried out in pain as he doubled up and held his bleeding nose. Videl paid him no heed as she went along her way, barely breaking her train of thoughts. Perverts coming on to her like that happened every so often, but it was never a problem for Videl. She did worry about the women who wandered out at night, and she hoped that any girl going out in risky hours was smart enough to bring something to defend herself with in those cases.

Gohan would probably go berserk if he saw that fool try to approach her like that, she thought with a smirk; she remembered quite well the way he'd glared murderously at the fat guy who had insulted her during their fight, the night they met. The way his jaw had clenched, the way his fists had tightened, his knuckles turning white… He'd looked ready to pound that obscene individual to the ground.

She cracked a smile as she looked up at the sky. Unlike the night they met, the clouds were scarce, and even with the bright city lights, a few stars were visible here and there. In a way, she was glad she had those memories of him, despite how much it hurt to think about Gohan. It was weird how after only two encounters with him Videl really felt she _knew_ him — the real him. It was almost like she'd known him all her life.

She winced slightly at the sudden twisting feeling in her heart. Ugh, it really hurt to think about him… To think about what their life together could have been…

Videl stopped in her tracks and clenched her hand against her chest. God… it _physically_ hurt to think about it… to think of what could have been, if only they'd met in different circumstances, in a different world…

Maybe if they met as kids, or in high school, Videl thought wistfully. In a world that wasn't terrorized by killing machines, Gohan could have been her first…

 _Ouch. Ow, ow, ow…_ God, she really needed to stop thinking about all this. She was only making it harder.

She had basic knowledge of String Theory, that parallel universes were a probability — that a landscape of possible universes could exist. And Videl couldn't help but wonder… In a world with no cyborgs, would she still have met Gohan? Would they have been each other's first? What would it have been like, to just be with him, and not have to worry about him getting killed any day? Would they have treasured each other, and lived their life together? Always together…

… Would she have accepted to marry him, if he ever proposed to her?

The thought that all of this could have been possible… That they could very well be together, in another world, another dimension… It was both comforting and heartbreaking.

Damn it, even though her reason knew better… She still wanted Gohan back.

"I really hate you sometimes, Gohan," she murmured into the night, her eyes welling up. Rubbing them with her knuckles in a swift movement, Videl let out a shaky breath and went along her way.

She wondered if she should curse meeting Gohan altogether, or be grateful for the little happiness he'd brought her, however short their time together lasted.

Ahh… But how could she ever regret spending that one day with him? Their small talks whenever they took a break, holding each other close and catching their breath... The way they just _clicked_ , and understood each other with just one look, one smile, one touch…

And, goodness, the _sex_ …She may have had other guys before Gohan, but they all paled in comparison — and to think Gohan was actually injured while they'd been at it all day long… God, it had been so fucking _good_. Somehow, even the lightest touch, the simplest look from him, could make her turn into a puddle of goo. The chemistry between them was just _unbelievable_. And his adorableness… Gosh, she'd never met anyone more delightfully awkward and sweet. Teasing him had been so fun.

Ugh… She missed him so much already. She wished there was another way to spare her heart… Damn it, she just wanted Gohan back.

 _I hate how much I love you, you adorable bastard…_

ooOoo

Chichi paused as she passed by Gohan's bedroom. The door was open, and she could see him sitting at his desk; he was chewing on his pen's cap and holding a sheet of papers, which he seemed to be reading with a very concentrated look on his face.

He suddenly gave a start and quickly folded what he was holding before turning on his chair to face her. Chichi noticed the way his left hand stayed protectively over the folded piece of paper on his desk, and wondered what it was about.

"Were you writing something?" she couldn't help but ask.

"I… Uhh… Well… Err…" Gohan stammered. He rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment, avoiding her eyes. "I… guess?"

"Well, breakfast is ready," Chichi said with a soft sigh. Although she really wanted to know what Gohan could have been writing about, the mother knew she shouldn't pry if her son didn't want to share.

He nodded his head. "I'll come in a moment."

Chichi frowned slightly. Was he going to hide his writings? Did he really think she'd stoop so low as to invade his privacy? Well, maybe it was just a way to feel more reassured… Or maybe she was just working herself up over nothing because it wasn't really his intention at all?

She sighed. "Alright."

Chichi turned away and continued to the kitchen. It was hard to let go. Her baby had left the nest; Gohan was all grown up now. Although, in his case, he didn't actually get to be a baby for very long… She really hated how fast Gohan had had to grow up. Even before the cyborgs, he'd seen so much already. She couldn't even imagine everything Gohan had been through at such a young age…

It wasn't fair. Gohan had so much potential; she'd seen it from his very young years, just how smart and cunning he was. He was always well-behaved, never had trouble staying focused for a long time, and always got things very quickly. With his intellectual capabilities, Gohan could've been anything he wanted. He should have become a scholar. He should have become successful and renowned.

He should've been happy. He should've had a normal life, not one full of violent battles and hopelessness. He should've been with that girl who broke his heart. Maybe even marry her someday and start a family...

It really wasn't fair.

ooOoo

The phone ringing startled her. Bulma paused her work and turned to the forgotten device, wondering who still had this number. She could only think of Kame House or Goku's home. Either way, it could be important.

She wiped her hands on a rag and walked over to the ringing phone hanging on the wall.

"Yes?" she answered.

"Hey, Bulma." It was Gohan. Well, who else, really? "Am I disturbing you?"

Ah, ever so polite. "It's okay. What's up?" She smirked. "How's it going with your girlfriend?"

She didn't expect to hear Gohan take a shaky, forceful breath at her simple question. He swallowed audibly. Bulma really didn't like the sound of it...

"It… didn't work out," Gohan breathed out faintly. Bulma winced; she really needed to work on her lack of tact...

 _Smooth, Bulma, real smooth…_

She sighed. "I'm sorry to hear that… So why are you calling?" she quickly changed the subject, hoping to get Gohan's mind off of his apparent suffering.

"Oh… I was wondering if Trunks would be up for some training? I-I mean," he quickly added, "if that's still okay with you. I know I said I would stop training him if he ever tried to fight the cyborgs, but…" His voice trailed off.

 _But he's the only one besides me who has the potential to save the world,_ Gohan finished mentally.

"Don't worry, Trunks and I talked about it," Bulma assured. "I let him keep training, and he promised not to fight the cyborgs again. He said he wants to surpass you first."

Gohan cracked a smile, leaning back against the kitchen wall, and twisted the telephone cord distractedly around his fingers, holding the receiver with his other hand. "Is that so? I better stay ahead of him, then."

"Are you even in condition to get back to training? You're still not recovered from your last fight," Bulma pointed out.

"I'm fine," Gohan replied, in almost an automatic reflex. "Is Trunks in good enough shape, though? If he can't come I'll just train on my own…"

"Oh, he's in good shape, don't worry about him," Bulma brushed him off, rolling her eyes. "He escaped from the hospital just before you did, yesterday, and spent his day training by himself. Anyway, I'll tell him you offered to train with him, he should be joining you shortly."

"Thanks, Bulma."

"No problem, kiddo."

Gohan smiled slightly and was about to hang up when he heard Bulma calling his name softly.

"Yeah?" he responded, holding the receiver back against his ear.

There was a pause. On the other end of the line, Bulma bit down her lip.

"Will you be alright?" she asked softly, her hushed voice laced with concern.

Gohan's eyes clouded over, his smile turned sad. "I honestly don't know, Bulma."

"If you need to talk to someone…" she offered. Gohan sighed. He closed his eyes, leaning his head against the wall.

"Does it still hurt to think about Vegeta and Yamcha?"

A pause. Gohan heard Bulma breathe in slowly, and he figured he had his answer…

"Sometimes…" she whispered in response. "But it does get better, Gohan. You remember how I was at first, right? If I didn't have Trunks with me back then…"

"Ah, Mom replied the same…" Gohan remarked, scratching his hair.

"You've told her about Videl?" Bulma asked in surprise.

"Well, yeah… I spent the night home, and I felt I had to tell her why I was so… um… you know…"

 _Heartbroken?_ Bulma asked silently. She closed her eyes for a few moments, feeling a pang prickling in her chest. Oh, why did it have to end like this? Gohan had been so happy, the morning he told her about Videl. She recalled his dreamy, glazed over eyes, his wide grins, his obvious, hopeless infatuation… and it only hurt more to think about it. Why couldn't it work out for him and that girl? Why couldn't Gohan keep that one happiness? God knew he deserved some slack... More than anyone, really; Gohan deserved to be happy. She thought Videl could give him that. She thought, she hoped, that he could finally have at least one good thing in his life.

Ugh, it was just so unfair.

She let out a dejected sigh. "Gohan, what happened?" she ended up asking, unable to stop herself. "I just don't get it… I thought it ended well, the night you met her? Why didn't it work out?"

She heard Gohan swallow hard, and immediately regretted her nosy inquiries. Just from the way he seemed to have trouble breathing, the way his voice quivered and couldn't form a coherent word… _My God, Gohan… How could you fall so hard so fast for that girl?_

"It's because…" he managed to utter out, and swallowed again. "The cyborgs. She doesn't think I can do it. She... she thinks staying together would only make it worse for her when I… lose to them for the last time."

"You won't!" Bulma retorted heatedly. "You can't — you're Goku's son! I _know_ you can do it!"

"Try telling her that…" He let out a deep, sorrowful sigh. "I tried… and failed. Her mind was set all along, even when we were… spending the day together…"

His voice broke slightly, and Bulma felt her heart shatter a little with his. That was just… so cruel of Videl. To give Gohan hope, and spend the day with him; to give him happiness, only to rip it apart, only to break his heart… It was such a cruel thing to do.

"She wouldn't... even… let me tell her…" he uttered out shakily, his voice so low and throaty Bulma had trouble hearing him clearly. "I almost told her… how I feel… But she stopped me."

"Gohan, I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have asked," Bulma said in a quick breath. God, this Videl was just awful. How could she treat a sweet, adorable and gentle guy like Gohan like that?

There was a pause, in which Gohan sounded like he was trying to get a hold of himself, breathing in deeply, slowly... Bulma felt terrible. She hated in how much pain Gohan was in. He didn't need this, on top of everything else. He didn't deserve to be treated like that.

"It's alright, Bulma… Thank you for listening."

The constant dial replaced his voice, and Bulma hung up the phone in turn, heaving out a deep, tired sigh. She really ought to learn to keep her big mouth shut, not to mention her inappropriate curiosity.

She'd had so much hope when Gohan had told her about Videl that morning. When she saw his silly smile as he talked about the girl he'd fallen for… God, this was so unfair. Was any kind of happy ending really impossible in their broken world?

ooOoo

Trunks was… perplexed. First, his mother had come to him earlier, her shoulders hunched, her voice small and discouraged, to tell him that Gohan waited for him for training. He briefly wondered if it was because she was still against him fighting at all, but quickly discarded the thought; they'd already sorted out that issue, and it really didn't look like it was about him at all for that matter.

And Gohan, he was just asking him to throw stuff at him which he simply destroyed when they reached him. Anything big would do, he'd said. It was like he just needed to vent. Was it his punishment for disobeying him and going off to fight the cyborgs? He already said he wouldn't do it again, what more could he do? But this mood of Gohan's didn't seem to be about him, either. He wondered if his mother and his friend acting weird like that had anything to do with each other.

"Focus, Trunks!" Gohan scolded, his bright, golden aura raising the wind around him.

"Well, I'm _sorry_ I'm not more excited about this _fascinating_ exercise!" Trunks retorted hotly, sick of this stupid drill.

"I'm not in a good mood, Trunks," Gohan said coldly. "I can't spar with you when I'm like this."

"So that's it? I'm just supposed to assist you like some kind of tool and shut up about it?"

"If you don't want to stay you're free to go!" Gohan snapped.

In response, Trunks turned Super Saiyan.

"Trunks, what did I just say!" Gohan exclaimed moodily. "Even if I spar with you as a Super Saiyan in my normal form it's still too dangerous for you! I _told_ you, I am _not_ in a good mood!"

Trunks eyed his older friend skeptically. He'd thought, on the contrary, that Gohan would be pretty happy after spending time with his new girlfriend. Did something bad happen? He didn't think it was his place to ask… And Gohan hadn't even told him about that Videl girl yet.

"Well, I came here to train. So find a better way to train me," Trunks said in defiance.

Gohan growled. Offering Trunks to join him had been a bad idea. He'd thought he could get his mind off of Videl a little with his company, but the kid could be so annoying at times. "You know what? Just go home, Trunks. Today's not a good day."

The young boy flattered, and gaped at him. "B-But…"

"We'll train together another time," he assured. "But today I just need to vent out, and I can't spar with you like that. You'd better get home."

"No! I'll help you, it's fine!" Trunks uttered in a rush, turning out of Super Saiyan in a blink. "I'm sorry!"

Gohan shook his head, his face serious. "I mean it, Trunks. I'll just end up snapping at you again. I don't want to treat you like that. You're like my little brother, and you don't deserve to be at the end of my moods."

"I don't care!" Trunks pressed on. "I want to stay! I want to help you!"

Gohan ran a hand through his hair awkwardly. Did he look so pitiful that Trunks wouldn't leave him by himself, even if it meant sacrificing his own training for his sake?

"I'm fine, Trunks," he said, his tone gentle this time, managing a smile. "You can go."

"No, you're not fine." Trunks crossed his arms stubbornly. "You're hurting, for some reason, so I want to help you. As your little brother."

Gohan sighed. "Then help me by letting me train by myself. I really just want to be alone, Trunks."

"Okay, I'll let you train," conceded Trunks with a frown. "But I'm still not leaving. You shouldn't be alone right now, Gohan."

His determination was endearing, and Gohan cracked a smile. He moved closer to his young friend and ruffled his head of fine, delicate lilac-colored hair, so different from his own natural thick spikes. A nice, warm feeling spread out in his chest as Trunks grinned up at him, and Gohan's eyes softened.

"Good thing I have you to look out for me, huh?" he said softly.

"Yep!" Trunks agreed proudly, his grin broader than ever.

But suddenly both of their smiles fell in the same instant, and in the same swift movement, both fighters turned around to stare in the same direction.

"They're… They're killing again," Trunks whispered, his voice tight and throaty. He glanced nervously at the older warrior, and his heart sank in worry.

The way Gohan held himself... so taut, looking reading to dive into the battle; the way his fists clenched, the way his face hardened, his eyes narrowing to slits…

"You can't go, Gohan. You're still injured," the young boy tried to reason, his hand instinctively reaching out to hold onto Gohan's rigid arm. "You're not even at your full power."

A humorless smile tugged at the tall warrior's lips as his gaze turned to look at Trunks.

"Don't go, Gohan," he insisted, his grip on his friend's arm tightening. "Please, don't do it… You could really die this time."

"I'm always risking my life fighting them, Trunks," Gohan countered, still smiling mirthlessly. Trunks swallowed, the sinking feeling in his stomach growing. "But even if it's just one life I get to save in exchange, it's always worth it."

There was a moment of silence, the two staring into each other's eyes. Gohan's expression turned serious.

"Let go, Trunks," he ordered calmly. "You know I could break free anytime if I wanted to, but I'd rather not use force against you. But if I have to, I will."

Trunks gulped, but he just couldn't will himself to let go of Gohan. "You're still hurt, Gohan," he persisted. He had to stop Gohan from doing something so foolish. He just had to keep trying.

An idea crossed his mind, and although it could be very risky and even turn against him, Trunks decided to go with it, hoping with all of his heart that it would work.

"What about…" Trunks swallowed as Gohan frowned, his patience clearly wearing thin. "What about your girlfriend? Mom told me about her… Videl, right?" Trunks didn't understand why Gohan's expression suddenly hardened, but he went on anyway. "Don't you want to stay alive for her? If not for me… She wouldn't want you to risk your life like that, right? At least wait until you're fully recovered, Gohan, please…"

His dark eyes clouded over as Trunks spoke, and his lips pursed into a thin line. Wordlessly, Gohan took hold of his hand and forced it off his arm.

"Stay out of this, Trunks," he ordered, his voice cold. His eyes flashed teal. "If you try to follow me, I won't hesitate to knock you out."

In an instant, Gohan was a Super Saiyan, and Trunks could only watch helplessly as his most precious friend took off to the sky and flew away, leaving a golden trail behind him.

Off to fight yet another hopeless battle.

* * *

 _I have a few people to thank for their help on this chapter: SilviaS7, TheGodfather93, Mysterious Prophetess, and kalebxdd. Check out their fics to thank them too! :D_

 _Hope you're still okay after this feels trip, haha. ^^; Let me know your thoughts in a review! :D_

* * *

 _August 13, 2015_


	5. Some Scars Keep Reopening

_Chapter Five: Some Scars Keep Reopening_

* * *

Gohan groaned. He tried to move, but he was stuck in the cement. That right hook really struck him hard. He could still hear a ringing in his ear. His body was embed into the wall that had stopped his course, after 17's devastating punch had propelled him through several buildings, skyscrapers, towers, and even a few trees. He was hurting all over. He felt like his whole body was one big, throbbing bruise, and there wasn't an inch of him that didn't ache awfully.

As he tried to free himself, Gohan heard some worrying cracking sounds coming from above, and stilled himself instantly – but it was already too late. Gohan closed his eyes and braced himself, as the whole construction collapsed on him. He gritted his teeth, chunks of cement pummeling him. The building was completely falling apart, and Gohan was certainly feeling it. In the chaos, he tried to move his arms and protect his head, and endured the pain while everything that used to make that building rained on him and completely covered his body.

At last, everything stopped and silence fell around him. Smoke and dust rose from the pile of rubble. Buried under it all, the young fighter started to work his way through all the debris and broken cement, but he was having trouble breathing. He coughed – at this rate, he was barely going to make it. Clenching his fists, Gohan decided he was getting nowhere this way, and closed his eyes as he summoned his energy and transformed into a Super Saiyan again – he'd lost the transformation at some point when the building had collapsed on him.

He'd wanted to save his strength, but this was a much effective way: everything around him was reduced to dust in a matter of moments, completely incinerated by the power of his flaring _ki_. Gohan stood, and his teal eyes immediately locked onto the pair of vile creatures hovering high up above him, smirking down at him. Gohan pursed his lips and tightened his fists, his golden aura brightening and raising the wind around him. How he hated those things. How he wished he was already strong enough to pound them to the ground and make them pay for all the misery they'd brought to the world.

"Aww, look at that, it's still trying to fight," 17 snickered to his sister, who smirked at him, her icy blue eyes glinting in malice.

"At least it cleaned up the place. That building made such a mess," she said in a mocking tone. "We might just keep you for a little bit longer if you keep making yourself useful, Gohan!" she called out to the warrior below, and laughed at her own joke.

Gohan gritted his teeth, his fists tightening so much his knuckles were turning white. The adrenaline was pulsing in his head, and his deep hatred for those monsters helped fuel his power. With a burst of golden _ki_ , Gohan rushed the twin terrors and attacked with everything he had. All of his anger, all of his frustration, all of his sorrow… and his broken hopes, his shattered heart – he used it all in each of his moves, each of his attacks. He let his rage against them wash over him, possess him, and his strength grew and expanded more and more as he did.

It was all their fault. Those two. It was because of them that his life was such a mess. It was their fault if he had to risk his life constantly; if not for those two vile creatures, he could've had a normal life – and he could've been with the woman he loved. Videl would have had no reason to push him away, and they could've been together. They could've been so happy together… He could've been with Videl, spending every moment of his life trying to make her happy… If not for those two pests, that is.

He dodged a punch, blocked a few more blows, his eyes narrowing as he searched for an opening. He hated fighting them both at once; they never lost an opportunity to use their advantage of number against him. He scowled, grabbing 18's forearm and 17's fist at the same time and sweeping his leg to kick them both at once, throwing them away from him. They stopped their course in mid-air and turned to him; 18 flicked her hair behind her while her brother rubbed his sides with an angry kind of smile.

"That… kinda stung," he said, his cold eyes gleaming dangerously – and before Gohan knew it he was dodging and slapping away a flood of _ki_ -blasts.

He felt movement behind him and barely managed to move out of the way of 18's sneak attack, but the momentum allowed her brother to tackle him, and Gohan's eyes widened as the wind was knocked out of him. He felt himself falling fast, the weight of 17 still onto him, and shortly after Gohan landed hard on the ground; the cyborg's forearm was pressing upon his throat, cutting off the air from circulating in his lungs. Choking and gagging, the young fighter blindly moved his hand, and upon reaching its destination, also known as 17's thin black hair, Gohan used everything he had left in him to pull on it – _hard_. The killing machine shrieked like a little girl and immediately leaped back from him.

Hysterical laughter sounded from above them, and both looked up at the female cyborg who was crouched over in the air as she laughed her head off. Her brother glared at her, petting his precious, shiny hair lovingly, before turning his scowl at the Super Saiyan.

Gohan got back to his feet and stared down at the cyborg, who gave him the same angry, dangerous smile as before.

"Are you trying to piss me off, Gohan? 'Cause you're doing great so far," he sneered, getting up as well and facing the young warrior.

Gohan scowled in response. His fists clenched tightly, he planted his feet hard on the ground and got ready for another round. 18 was still laughing like a crazy woman up there, so this might be his chance for a one-on-one against the male cyborg.

Less than a millisecond later Gohan's fist was in 17's hand. The two enemies stared at each other for a moment, their movement temporarily stilled... and then Gohan tried to strike his opponent again. He blocked 17's counter attacks, but his owns weren't getting through either. He narrowed his eyes in concentration, seeking an opening, wishing nothing more than to land a punch on the overpowered tin can's face.

Said tin can smirked as he and Gohan continued exchanging blows, blocking, dodging and striking countless attacks a minute.

"What did you eat today, Gohan? You're so fired up!" he said with a laugh.

Gohan ignored the jeering and kept his concentration. His lips pursed into a thin line, sweat dripped down his skin, mixing with blood and dirt. In the back of his mind, he noticed that 18 wasn't laughing anymore, but for some reason she wasn't joining in the fight this time. Perhaps she was letting her brother get back at him for pulling his hair and pissing him off. Sometimes, every now and then, they would go against him one-on-one – but he had to be on guard, because it would never last long. This was his chance to do some real damage on 17; they seemed evenly matched, but Gohan knew, in the pit of his stomach, that the cyborg was most likely not using his full power. Well, no matter. He would just have to take advantage of that and make the bastard pay.

"Aw, you won't talk to me?" 17 mock-pouted, while he and Gohan were still engaged in hand-to-hand combat. "So what got you so mad? Last time I saw you a few days ago, you were grinning ear-to-ear, remember?"

His blood was boiling. Did that jackass really have to remind him how much he was hurting? To think, at this time yesterday, he'd never felt happier in his life…

"Wait, lemme guess…" 17's smirk grew more sinister. "You got dumped, didn't you?"

His fist hit the cyborg's cheek faster than he realized. 17 plummeted backward from the force of the punch; he managed to still himself before impacting on the ground, but before he could regain his bearing a kick followed, throwing him upward, and then Gohan's joined fists landed on his head, effectively making him crash in a newly formed crater.

Heaving deeply, Gohan barely managed to dodge 18's punch – clearly she was done waiting by any longer. While he fought her, her brother got to his feet. 17 scowled up at the pair, his icy blue eyes fixated on the bandaged man, and the next moment he took off and joined his sister against the Super Saiyan.

It didn't take long for Gohan to realize that his luck had turned. Once those two teamed up, things got bad, and fast. He had managed to hold his own for a few minutes, but soon he was overwhelmed and outmatched by their combined and well-timed assault. It was coming from every side, at unimaginable speed. His still healing injuries re-opened, and so many more got added. It got so bad that he could hardly see straight anymore, let alone focus. Before long Gohan was barely able to fight back anymore, yet the attacks were tumbling on him like raining rocks.

But even so, no matter how many times they beat him to the ground, no matter how bad his state got, no matter how much it hurt all over… Gohan just kept getting back up. He kept facing them, he kept trying, again and again. He probably looked like a bloody mess, and he couldn't even stand straight, but he was just so mad – at them, at himself, and at Videl even. His blood was boiling with the urge to kill. He didn't care what it took, or how much it hurt – he wanted to make them pay, somehow, someway, any way possible.

And at least, the physical pain distracted him from the awful, twisting ache in his heart.

He winced as he crashed hard on the ground for the umpteenth time. He clenched his fists, forcing his body to cooperate and stand back up. It wasn't over yet. As long as he had some strength left, as long as he was still breathing, he would not stop getting back on his feet to face them.

He gritted his teeth, on his hands and knees, struggling to get up. He heard two sets of feet land in front of him, but before he could look up and try to murder the evil twins with his hateful glare, the wind was suddenly knocked out of him and his body was propelled a few meters away. He crashed on his back, panting heavily. _Ugh…_ Every breath he took hurt like hell...

And yet… His whole body was trembling, the pain was excruciating, but still, Gohan kept trying to get up.

On shaky legs and in a very weak stance, Gohan managed to face the twin terrors again. His breathing wasn't calming down, but he didn't care – he wasn't going to stop trying, no matter what it took.

A thin, humorless smile curved the corner of his lips as he readied himself for the next assault that was sure to come. And, just as planned, the cyborgs rushed him again, and Gohan could barely do anything but endure.

But it didn't matter anymore. Nothing mattered at this point.

Videl was right. He was a fool to think he could have some happiness in his miserable life. He was a fighter – a warrior. He was made for fighting, whether he liked it or not. And with his battle-riddled life, Gohan could have only brought Videl constant worry and suffering.

She had been right to dump him. It could never work between them. She was better off without him.

He was just no good for her.

ooOoo

" _It's getting worse – I don't know how much longer our mysterious fighter can–"_

Videl quickly turned off the news, scowling at the radio set she was clutching in her hands. Throwing it on the couch, Videl resumed her stance, breathing deeply in concentration, and lost no time getting back to training, venting on the wooden dummy that stood in a corner of her living room.

She did _not_ need to hear about Gohan stupidly risking his life again when he was clearly not in his best shape. It was _his_ problem if he was dumb enough to face the cyborgs when he hadn't even fully recovered from fighting them less than a week ago.

She gritted her teeth, her blows so powerful it was making the dummy shake wildly. It made her so fucking mad. She was so furious at Gohan for putting his life in danger like that, with no consideration for how his death would affect the people who cared about him. But most of all, she was frustrated with herself for caring so much. For falling in love so stupidly fast. Although, "falling" didn't quite seem like the correct term to describe how Videl felt. It was rather like she'd plummeted to the ground, hurtling at warp speed, and crashed into the earth – _hard_. And nothing could have prepared her for the excruciating pain in her whole being upon the impact.

With a cry of frustration, Videl delivered one last chop on the dummy's arm. She panted heavily, keeping the pose for a few moments more before straightening herself up, her elbows drawn back and her fist clenched. She let out a deep breath. She stood there as her heartbeats slowly calmed down, then glanced at her radio lying on the couch cushion before she could stop herself. She scowled at the device, resisting the temptation to turn it on. Her fists clenching tightly, Videl narrowed her eyes at her radio as if her glare was directed at Gohan.

That stupid dork. How dare he make her worry so much? She didn't _want_ to know how his fight was going, or how badly hurt he got himself, and she most certainly did _not_ want to know whether Gohan _survived_ at all. Nope. That wasn't her business. It was over, she broke his heart – and okay, fine, she also broke hers in the process. But that was the end of it. Gohan had nothing to do with her now.

Her arms trembled, her fists still clenched tightly, her knuckles turning white. Damn him. Damn him! _Why_ did he have to go and fight those fucking monsters again? If Gohan died now, pushing him away would have been for nothing, because she was definitely not ready to handle that so soon. She needed _time_ , but that moron wasn't even giving her that! How could he be so reckless and, and...

"Gah!" she groaned in frustration, turning away swiftly from the radio and marching toward the front door. She was still sticky and sweaty from her workout, but who cared? She needed fresh air, and she needed to get away from the temptation of turning on the radio. She was _not_ ready to hear that Gohan didn't make it.

The door slammed shut behind her, and Videl folded her arms across her chest as she stomped angrily on her way to the nearby forest. But before long she picked up her pace and started running. She ran as fast as she could, letting her surroundings become a blur of green and brown. She ran even as her lungs screamed for a break and her heart was ready to explode. She ran, and focused on moving forward, focused on moving her legs one in front of the other as fast as she could muster. She ran, and ran, and tried to tune out everything else.

It was like she was trying to outrun her feelings for Gohan.

And then suddenly she skidded to a stop. Breathing hard, Videl shut her eyes tightly and clenched her fists. She tried to hold it down, but a lump rose in her throat and stung her eyes. Hot, burning tears rolled down her cheeks from her closed lids, the tiny drops blotting the dirty ground.

"Damn you, Gohan," she breathed out, her voice quivering, as she moved her hands to cover her face. He was going to die, and it would be her fault. She knew that it was only because she broke his heart that he'd gone fighting again today. He'd never faced the cyborgs while he was still injured before. It was her fault Gohan had felt the need to vent on them, and now he was going to get killed, and it would be all her fault.

She crouched down and hugged herself, weeping silently. And Videl prayed. She prayed harder than she'd ever done, putting all of her soul into it. If only it could work.

 _Please, please, please, don't let him die._

ooOoo

Trunks rubbed his eyes and sniffled quietly, hugging his legs as he heard Gohan cry out in pain yet again. He was hiding behind some ruins, obeying Gohan's order not to get involved, but unable to stay away completely. He was far enough so as not to be spotted, but close enough that he could hear the fighting from where he was.

His shoulders were shaking. Gohan's _ki_ was so weak… When was it going to end? Why did Gohan keep getting back up? If he just stayed down, the cyborgs would probably leave him, like they always did. There weren't any more people to save in this city either, so why was Gohan still going up against them?

Trunks closed his eyes tightly as he heard another cry from Gohan, followed by a loud _crash_. The twin terrors laughed at the fallen warrior, and it took all of Trunks' restraint not to lash out at them. His blood was boiling with fury, and keeping his _ki_ concealed was becoming harder and harder. The cyborgs couldn't sense energy, of course, but Trunks didn't want Gohan to know that he'd followed him.

A wave of relief washed over him as the twins flew away, finally leaving Gohan alone. Trunks only waited a few moments to make sure they were gone before he bolted up and ran as fast as he could towards his best friend's almost inexistent life force. He jumped over some debris, and almost choked when he saw Gohan's broken body, lying in a crater, in a pool of his own blood. God, there was so much blood…

He took a shaky breath. He had to be strong, for Gohan. Gohan needed him right now.

He turned Super Saiyan, and very carefully picked Gohan up. The older warrior groaned, and Trunks looked at him, worry etching his young brow; his whole face was bloodied and barely recognizable. Trunks felt another surge of fury against those monsters, but he set his feelings aside and focused on bringing Gohan to the nearest hospital.

He took off to the sky. His best friend needed him right now.

ooOoo

Gohan lay in the hospital bed, looking the other way, out the window, while his mother sobbed into her hands, sitting on the chair by the bed. The sun was already setting, but the sky was so cloudy that it only got darker. It didn't take the many beautiful colors of a sunset. It was just gray, and getting blacker minute by minute. Was it going to rain?

Like the night he met Videl.

He sighed, and slowly turned his head to look at his sobbing mother. His eyes trailed to her shoulders, shaking violently, and he wondered to himself if they always looked so frail.

"Mom…" he croaked out. "Mom, please, don't cry…"

"I will cry if I want to!" she retorted indignantly, removing her hands from her face to glare at him. "My only son is a hopeless idiot, so forgive me if I feel like crying over his wasted life!"

He swallowed, and Chichi went back to crying in her hands. He closed his eyes, his nose facing the ceiling. He hated making her cry. He hated making her worry. And he hated himself, because he knew, he knew that if he had the choice to do everything over, he wouldn't change a thing. He'd fight the cyborgs in the exact same way, and nothing would have changed. He'd still end up in that same hospital bed while his mother sobbed by his side.

"I'm sorry," he whispered hoarsely. "I wish you wouldn't see me like this…"

He'd rarely been in a worse state. His whole body was covered in bandages and casts, his head was also bandaged, and his face was covered with band-aids, big and small. All in all, he resembled a mummy, not unlike his father after the battle against Vegeta all those years ago. How old had he been at the time? Four, five years old?

"Well maybe you'll think twice next time before you go face those monsters," his mother countered in an accusing tone. "And you were still injured from last time – what were you thinking!"

He turned to her to justify himself, but no sound came out of his mouth as Gohan looked at his mother's tear-stained face and puffy eyes. His heart tightened. He turned away and closed his eyes again, feeling a lump rise in his throat.

"I'm sorry. I was selfish." He swallowed, and felt the air move as his mother wiped her face. "I wanted to forget the pain. It didn't work." It still felt like his heart was torn from his chest and stepped on like a bug. Repeatedly.

"Oh, Gohan… my poor baby," Chichi murmured, her tone softening, and she leaned forward to hold his hand in a comforting gesture. "But you can't risk your life like that because of her. I know you're hurt, but please, Gohan, think of the people who love you before you do something stupid like that again. Please."

He turned to her, and wanted to smile for her. But his mouth wouldn't curve. He just didn't have it in him anymore. He couldn't even fake it.

"I'm sorry," he said again. He couldn't even bring himself to make the promise. He didn't like making promises he couldn't keep.

She smiled sadly at him, giving his hand a squeeze. "I love you, Gohan. Remember that, okay?"

His lips twitched, he tried to smile again. Still nothing. "I know. I love you too, Mom."

He wondered if he would ever be able to smile again. It used to be so easy. He used to be so cheerful and optimistic. Now, Gohan felt like… Well, he felt like he had died. The cyborgs may have spared his life, but to Gohan it didn't feel like he was living anymore. Rather, he existed. He was just there, breathing, but the life had gone from his eyes.

He hoped his mother didn't notice.

ooOoo

She knew it was a bad idea, but Videl hardly cared at this point. She needed to see for herself that Gohan was alright, and she felt like she couldn't rest until she did.

It had been a stroke of luck. She had stumbled upon an abandoned hovercycle on the street. It hadn't been working, but Videl was good with mechanics and she'd managed to repair it in just an afternoon. Then she had packed all her stuff and intended to move to another city, but her heart had another idea. And before she realized what she was doing she was already on her way to the hospital where Gohan was staying at.

It was late at night when she arrived, way past visiting hours, but that had been the point. If Gohan was sleeping, then she would even be able to see him. But if he wasn't, Videl knew she _had_ to keep her distance. No matter what, Gohan could _not_ know that she had come for him.

Trying not to show her nervousness, she walked through the automatic doors. She didn't really know how she was going to find Gohan when she couldn't ask the front desk where he was, but Videl was ready to search the place if she needed to. At least this was a rather small hospital, with only three floors. It wouldn't take that long.

But, as luck would have it, as Videl waited for the elevator, a couple doctors were having a very interesting conversation.

"The patient in room two-thirteen, it's the guy isn't it? And he wouldn't even give his name," one of them said, a skinny, blond-haired young man. "I don't get it. It's not like we don't know who he was fighting."

"He doesn't do it for the recognition," replied his colleague, a short, elder doctor with gray hair and a lumpy back. "We should just be grateful that he has the potential to save us, and mend him as best we can."

Videl's heart was racing. The elevator opened at that moment, and she walked inside along with the pair of practitioners. _Room two-thirteen_ , she repeated to herself.

"I've never seen anything like that," commented the younger doctor, his voice lowering. "It's a miracle he's still alive, let alone conscious."

Videl looked away, forcing down the tears threatening to come out. He almost died. Gohan nearly got himself killed. She felt sick. _Gohan, you idiot._

"It's lucky his young friend brought him here as fast as he did," the other man nodded gravely. His voice lowered as well, scooting closer to his colleague. "His test results are so odd. I've heard rumors about him not being quite… _normal_."

'Normal' was definitely not an adjective that fit Gohan, Videl thought to herself with a tiny smile. But it made her wonder just what it actually meant. Just how different was Gohan?

"Well, who else would be able to be a match against the cyborgs?" the blond-haired doctor said in a rhetoric manner. _Exactly_ , Videl silently agreed. "I'm just glad someone like him exists at all."

The graying man nodded gravely again. The doors opened then, and Videl walked out on the second floor, while the pair of white-coated men stayed behind.

She took a moment to breathe in deeply, giving herself some courage. She hoped Gohan was sleeping, she really needed to see him – but she couldn't, under any circumstances, let him see her.

Her heart pounding erratically in her chest, Videl checked the numbers on each door as she walked along the hallway. She stopped. This was it. Room 213. She stared at the door, her mouth dry, her fists clenching and unclenching.

"Can I help you with something?"

The suspicious female voice startled her, and Videl turned around swiftly, her eyes wide in panic at the blue-haired woman frowning at her.

"Who are you? Do you know Gohan?" she asked, her hands on her hips.

Videl swallowed. What now? Who was this woman, anyway? Surely this wasn't Gohan's mother, was it? They looked nothing alike. "I'm… a friend," she said with a slight wince. "But um, you can't tell him I was here…" Well that didn't sound fishy at all.

The woman narrowed her eyes at her, studying her appearance as she folded her arms over her chest. She clearly didn't trust her.

But then her eyes widened and she gasped. "Wait… Blue eyes, built like a fighter… No way… You're Videl, aren't you?"

Videl gaped. Gohan _told_ this woman about her? And he even gave her details, too! What the hell! Just _who_ was this woman if Gohan felt comfortable enough to share personal stuff with her so easily?

Videl looked around in panic. This was a bad idea to begin with – it was honestly the worst idea she'd ever had – tied with falling for Gohan and sleeping with him. She shouldn't have come. She shouldn't be here. And she certainly shouldn't be meeting this strange woman who seemed to know way too much about her.

"Not so fast." The woman caught her wrist before Videl could run away. Shit, she hadn't expected her to be so quick to react.

"Listen, I shouldn't be here," Videl explained. She could easily break free from the older woman's hold – not that it was weak, but well, Videl was a fighter – but she wanted to try to reason with her first. It wouldn't be good if she told Gohan she saw her. "Since you seem to know what happened, you know I broke Gohan's heart. He can't know I was here."

"Why, you don't want him to know that you care?" the woman asked defiantly.

Videl looked at her gravely. "Exactly."

She was still holding her wrist. Videl didn't want to come to this, but she might have to break free by force and make a run for it.

"Don't you want to know how he is? That's why you came after all, isn't it?" The woman smirked, and Videl looked away.

"How is he?" she asked in a small voice.

"Not in a coma, surprisingly. Then again, he takes after his dad. He looks like a mummy, but he'll be fine."

Videl nodded her head. "Thanks." She looked up at the woman. "Who are you? You know who I am."

"I'm a family friend. Gohan is like a son to me," she replied. Videl frowned.

"And your name?"

The blue-haired woman gave a tiny smirk. "Bulma Briefs."

Videl's eyes grew bigger and her lips parted slightly. Bulma Briefs… The daughter of the man who invented hoi-poi capsules, and possibly the greatest mind of their time. An independent woman who knew she was a genius and wasn't afraid to blatantly show her superiority. She was a role-model to Videl. And Gohan was like a son to her… Talk about unexpected.

"I see you've heard of me," Bulma stated with a satisfied smirk.

"Who hasn't?" Videl murmured, her tone disbelieving. Bulma chuckled.

"Let's sit down for a bit, shall we? I'd like to speak with you, and Gohan's still with his mom anyway."

"I…" Videl swallowed. _Bulma Briefs_ wanted to have a talk with her. Well, about Gohan most likely, but still. "I really should go."

"Just for a bit," she insisted, holding her wrist a little tighter. "And I won't tell Gohan I saw you."

Videl sighed in resignation. If that was the only way... "Alright…"

ooOoo

It felt so weird, to have a cup of coffee with Bulma Briefs. They had gone to the cafeteria, so as not to risk Gohan's mother seeing Videl if she were to come out of his hospital room. They sat face to face, but Videl couldn't bring herself to look at the older woman in the eye, and settled for staring at the carton cup in between her palms.

"What did you want to talk to me about?" she asked in a quiet voice. She felt so small in the presence of such an important woman.

"Well, Gohan, obviously," Bulma replied matter-of-factly.

"I won't change my mind, you know," Videl asserted. "I don't want to be with him."

"But you love him," Bulma stated, "don't you? You wouldn't be here if you didn't."

"You do know this is none of your business, don't you?" Videl said, looking up at the other woman with a frown. Her usual fire was resurfacing, pushing away her initial nervousness. Why did she even agree to speak with that woman? Just because she was Bulma Briefs didn't give her the right to meddle in her life.

"But it is," Bulma retorted calmly, taking a sip of her cup. "I love Gohan very much, and because of you," her eyes hardened, "he was hurting so much that he nearly got himself killed."

Videl's shoulders slumped and she looked down. "It's not my fault he's an idiot," she muttered.

"Can you blame him?" Videl didn't like the accusation in her tone. "You pretty much used him, and threw him away when you didn't need him anymore. Gohan told me you never meant to be with him, yet you still led him on. What kind of person treats other people like that?"

Videl suddenly stood, glaring at this inquisitive woman. Never meet your heroes, right? "I don't have to explain myself to you. You don't know anything about me."

Bulma rolled her eyes. "Oh boo-hoo," she mocked. "Let me guess, you lost everyone you ever cared about and you don't want to suffer from another loss. Well guess what, that's how the world is now. Everyone is at risk, no one is safe. But that doesn't mean people have to stop caring about each other. What you had with Gohan was special, I can tell. And you ruined everything."

"And again, this is none of your fucking business!" Videl retorted heatedly, her voice rising. Bulma frowned at her.

"Gohan is the sweetest and kindest man I've ever known. He always tried to be optimistic no matter how hard things got. He always had a smile to offer people, to give them hope – and you took that away. You broke him. You damaged him beyond repair. Now he may never smile again."

Her eyes felt hot and stingy, and no matter how hard she tried to hold it down, it was just too much – tears gathered in her eyes and rolled down her face, splotching the plastic table. Videl crumbled on the chair and covered her face. She wished she could just die. Did that woman think she didn't know all that already? She didn't need the reminder, and she didn't need to feel even worse than she already did. Did Bulma really think that Gohan was the only one hurting? She had no idea how hard making that decision had been, and she didn't understand that in the long run, it would be for the best, for both Gohan and her.

"Wow, you really do love him…" Bulma whispered, the spite gone from her tone.

"Shut up," Videl croaked out, her hoarse voice muffled by her hands. "Just shut up. I don't need this right now. I just…" A sob forced its way through her body and shook her shoulders. "I just wanted to make sure he was alright." She tried to calm down, but the tears wouldn't stop coming, and Videl groaned. "Ugh... I hate crying. He always makes me cry."

Bulma stayed silent, frowning in concern as she watched the young woman forcefully try to stop the floodgates. Strangely enough, the way Videl struggled with herself, failing to look strong, reminded her of Vegeta, and the first time he let his guard down with her. When he let his head rest on her shoulder with a sigh of frustration. It had made her smile, the way he'd sought comfort, yet how he struggled with himself to allow her to see just how sad and broken he was, under his mask of pride and cruelty.

"I've loved two men in my life," she admitted in a gentle voice. "Both were fighters, and both were killed on the day the cyborgs appeared." Videl looked up from her hands and wiped her face, sniffling loudly. "I can't blame you for wanting to avoid that kind of suffering, believe me, but I think you and I both know that it's already too late."

"You don't know that," Videl shot back stubbornly, still sniffing as she rubbed her eyes. "I barely know him anyway."

Bulma smiled knowingly. "I did the same mistake, you know." Videl frowned in confusion. "The second man of my life, he was… Well, he wasn't a good man at all. And I never fully let him in. I always held back, because I could never read him, and I wasn't sure whether he actually cared about me. And now he's dead, and I never got to tell him how much he meant to me. Don't let that happen to you too, Videl. It's the regrets that hurt the most."

Videl swallowed. Her tears had finally stopped, but now Bulma was making her doubt. "I can't," she murmured, shaking her head. "I can't," she said again. She stood up, and looked at her pleadingly. "Don't tell Gohan I was here, okay? You promised."

Bulma smiled sadly. "It's such a shame. Gohan was so happy when he met you."

Videl felt her heart clench. She looked down. Her throat felt so tight. "Just, don't tell him, okay?"

As she walked away, Videl swore to herself to never do something stupid like that again. She was the one who decided to end it with Gohan, and she was the one who told him to stay away, so she, too, had to keep her distance. She couldn't allow herself even one moment of weakness, no matter how worried she was, or how badly she wanted to see him. It was over, and she had to accept it. Bulma could say what she wanted – Videl knew she was doing the right thing.

God, it better be the right thing.

ooOoo

"Mom, you should really go home and get some sleep," Gohan pleaded again. "You're exhausted, and I'm fine."

She sent him a glare. Well, at least she wasn't crying anymore. "You almost died today, Gohan," she bit back. "Don't tell me you're fine."

Gohan sighed. His mother was such a hothead. What good did staying with him do, anyway? She needed rest, and so did he for that matter, but he wasn't going to get any if he worried about his mother. He opened his mouth to try to convince her once more, but at that moment the door opened, and Bulma and Trunks walked in.

Wasn't it way past visiting hours?

"Gohan, please tell Trunks to go home, he won't listen to me," Bulma said tiredly.

"Only if you take my mother with you, she won't listen to me either," Gohan replied in exasperation. "Why are you guys still here anyway? Visiting hours are over, aren't they?"

"Your doctors let us stay because it's you," Trunks explained, and walked over to the bed to sit on the edge. "And I'm not leaving. I'm _never_ leaving you alone again, Gohan."

His cute, serious pout almost made Gohan smile. "So what, you guys are gonna sleep in my room with me? Just go home, seriously. I'm still going to be here tomorrow. I'm going to be here for a while anyway," he muttered the last part.

"Well whose fault is that?" his mother shot back severely, crossing her arms.

Gohan sighed for what felt like a thousandth time. How many times could one apologize in one day?

"Didn't you do that because of that girl?" Trunks said with a frown.

Gohan paled. His fingers trembled.

"Trunks, you don't know what you're talking about," Bulma said in a soft, motherly tone, moving over to put her hands on her son's shoulders. He looked up at her in confusion. "Come on, Trunks. You too, Chichi. Let's give Gohan some space. He won't be able to get any rest if we stay here."

Reluctantly, Chichi conceded, and Trunks grumbled to himself as his mother led him out of the hospital room.

"Thanks, Bulma," Gohan called out softly, just as she was about to walk through the door. She looked at him over her shoulder and smiled mildly. Gohan thought he saw a glint of sadness and understanding in her tired eyes.

"You're welcome, kiddo. Now get some rest."

She closed the door behind her, and Gohan felt a frown take up his brow. Something felt off. He couldn't quite place it, but something was off with Bulma.

In the corridor, Chichi was thinking the same thing. And she wasn't as quiet about it as her son. "Bulma, did something happen? You were the first to badmouth that woman for breaking my baby's heart."

Bulma shook her head, leading the group away from the door to Gohan's room. "I think it's really none of our business. And we better not mention Videl around Gohan anymore," she added, giving Trunks a pointed look. "Did you see the look on his face just now? I thought he was going to break down."

"Sorry," her son muttered, lowering his head. Bulma patted his head in an affectionate gesture.

"It's okay, Trunks," she said gently. "You're too young to understand those things."

He frowned. "I understand loss."

Bulma felt a pang in her chest, and closed her eyes for a moment. Yes, in this world, there was not one person who didn't know what loss felt like. Even her baby boy.

They reached the elevator. Chichi touched Trunks' shoulder, and he looked up at her to see her smiling at him. "How about you guys stay over with me tonight? It's closer than West City. And you can sleep in Gohan's bed, Trunks."

"That's a good idea," Bulma said warmly, giving her friend a grateful smile. Chichi only nodded in understanding in response.

"Okay," Trunks conceded. "But I'm coming back first thing in the morning."

Bulma and Chichi shared a smile, while the elevator opened and the three walked in.

"Don't forget that Gohan needs to rest," Chichi reminded the boy.

"I know. I just don't want to leave him by himself."

Bulma felt a surge of affection for her beautiful boy, and pulled him to her for a hug.

"Mom, people are watching," Trunks muttered in embarrassment. Well, it was true they weren't alone in the elevator, but the other people didn't really seem to care. Probably had their own problems to deal with.

"Hush. You're too small to be embarrassed by your mother," Bulma replied, not letting go.

Chichi looked on with a smile.

ooOoo

It took a month and a half for Gohan to get out of the hospital, and even then he hadn't completely recovered yet. But he just couldn't stay in that damn bed for one more day, he'd been inactive for way too long, and Gohan itched to get back to training.

He felt more motivated to train than ever. The power boost from his near-death experience had been incredible, but it was still not even close to matching the cyborgs. He needed to be stronger, and he didn't have any time to waste; for as long as he was at war with those damn tin cans, he couldn't be with Videl. But, if he were to kill them, if he were to actually win against them and obliterate those bastards for good, then, and only then, he could finally be with the love of his life.

She was his new motivation. He needed to do this for her, for them, for a chance to have something beautiful with her. He was going to save the world from those robotic pests, and then he was going to find her, and kiss her, and tell her he loved her, and kiss her again, and again, and again…

Gohan paused in mid-punch. His throat felt tight and dry. He straightened himself up and walked over to the tree under which he'd left a few water bottles. Plopping down on the grass, he grabbed one and leaned back against the trunk, gulping down the refreshing beverage. Letting out a sigh, Gohan closed his eyes, and tried to ignore the gaping hole in his heart.

He missed her so much. Every day was a battle against himself not to go see Videl. It was always the hardest at night whenever she was fighting in those clandestine meets, or even when she was training by herself. Her _ki_ would flare up, so powerful for a human – unmistakable, unmissable. And every time, each and every time, Gohan would struggle. He would struggle so hard not to succumb to the urge to go find her. He missed her so badly, he wanted to see her so much – Gohan felt like he was going mad. It had been two months already, and nothing had changed. It was most probably not nearly long enough, but time wasn't making it easier for him – at all. It was making it worse. He missed her more every day, and the distance wasn't dimming his love for her, not in the least. It was quite the opposite, actually. It seemed to Gohan that their time apart from each other was only making him love Videl more and more.

Several times already, Gohan had been on his way to see her and had had to force himself to turn back. He knew he had to stay away, but it was so hard. He wanted to see her – he _needed_ her. He just needed her so much.

Ugh, it was so unfair.

His senses tingled. Gohan swallowed. Damn it, she was training now. She'd moved to another town while he was in the hospital. But in the end it didn't matter where she ended up, because Gohan could always sense her _ki_ as long as she kept fighting.

It didn't make it easier to restrain himself from flying to see her. He missed her too much. He didn't trust himself to hold out like that for much longer, and that worried him. Gohan knew that Videl had made the right decision, that they couldn't be together, at least not as long as the cyborgs existed. He knew it, and he understood, he really did, but his heart didn't seem to care. He really just wanted to be allowed to love her. He wanted to be with Videl, to spend the rest of his life with her, regardless of what may happen to him and how it would affect her.

He was selfish, he knew that. He wanted Videl to himself in spite of the strain he would put her through if they ever got together. Gohan closed his eyes and sighed in dejection. He had to accept that it was over. Maybe he even ought to squash his hopes of ever being with her. Maybe she was right, and he was fated to die at the hands of the cyborgs. Maybe he should just try to forget her, and stop holding on the hope and someday, he could be with her if he finally saved the world.

He smiled dryly. As if. He was a hopeless idiot, and no matter what he just couldn't give up on Videl entirely. He needed that one shred of hope to stay sane – he might just go berserk if he lost faith in himself, if he stopped believing that he could do it, that one day, no matter what, he would kill those bastards who ruined his life, and rush to see Videl again.

He needed her. He needed the idea of her. It was the only thing that kept him going. He had to keep believing that it was possible. He was a Super Saiyan. He had the potential to be stronger than anyone could imagine. He knew it. He had it in him. He just needed to get there, somehow, someway. He just needed to be stronger.

And he hoped Videl could wait for him.

ooOoo

This was a bad, _bad_ idea. It was possibly the worse thing he could be doing – and Gohan was well aware that it would hardly ease him anyway – but damn it, it had been _three friggin' months_. He just missed Videl _so damn much_. He had to see her – he _needed_ to see her again – his heart just couldn't take it anymore. Staying away from Videl for so long... Gohan had no idea how on earth he'd managed to hold out all this time, but this was it – he was at his limit, and he couldn't do it anymore – not when he could feel her unmistakable energy signature so clearly as she fought, yet again, in those street fight meetings.

Gohan berated himself the whole trip long as he flew toward Videl's flaring _ki_ , and yet he was unable to turn back this time. His urge to see Videl had become too strong, it was too overwhelming, and the young warrior knew that fighting it would be useless at this point.

His heart was thumping hard as he approached his destination, anticipation and excitement building up at the prospect of seeing the most beautiful woman in the world after three long months. While he wasn't planning on letting his presence be known to her, so as not to break his promise of staying out of her life, just the prospect of letting himself get lost in her gorgeous eyes, even from afar, was enough to bring a tiny smile to his lips.

This time, the meet took place in an old, abandoned warehouse. As Gohan landed a short distance from the back door, he could hear the loud cheering from the crowd inside, but the young man barely paid it any mind as he quickly got inside – his impatience was getting the better of him.

The mass of people was almost suffocating, and they made it impossible for Gohan to see a thing of the current fight, which he knew Videl was taking part of. Growling in frustration, Gohan impatiently looked around, trying to find a good spot to watch the fight without being noticed. Luckily for him, there were still some high and empty shelves that were left here and there in the warehouse. Using his super speed so as not to be seen by anybody, and particularly by Videl, he phased out and reappeared on top of the farthest shelf; he quickly crouched down, lying flat on his stomach against the cold metal board, and peered over, to the center of the crowd.

His lips curved into a small, wistful smile as his gaze landed on her, fighting like the goddess that she was. He sighed dreamily, supporting his head with his palm, as his eyes followed her every move. She was so beautiful when she fought. So graceful, yet aggressive and powerful. Gohan's smile grew broader as Videl easily dominated her opponent, a tall and bulky dark-skinned man. She sure was something, that girl.

His heart gave a painful twinge. Dang it, he wanted to go to her and hold her close. He missed touching her so badly, and seeing her again was only making his longing for her burn even more. Gohan had suspected this would happen, that even if he fulfilled his wish to see her once more it wouldn't make him feel better; he'd had a feeling that he would still feel unsatisfied because of the distance that separated them. Because he couldn't go to her, and talk to her, and hold her in his arms... He just wanted her so badly. God, what he wouldn't do to kiss her just once more...

Gohan sighed dejectedly and rested his chin on his folded arms, not taking his eyes off of Videl in the fighting area. He'd already made his decision. As much as the pain in his chest ached and burned mercilessly, Gohan knew he had to stay away from Videl. For her sake, he had to respect her choice, no matter how bad he wished he could kiss her gorgeous lips again.

Gohan felt a jolt of excitement when Videl knocked out her opponent, and the crowd erupted into deafening cheers. He smiled longingly to himself as he observed the most amazing woman in the world.

His chest tightened all the more at the thought that he could never be with her.

Soon after, a new runner-up faced Videl, another giant who made her look like an ant. Gohan chuckled softly. He looked forward to seeing her tiny little self squash the huge guy, and hopefully Videl wasn't going to let her confidence get to her head again and get careless.

The fight began, and Gohan's heart picked up as the familiar, stubborn fire lit Videl's beautiful, deep blue eyes, while she fought with everything she had. He sighed longingly. He missed her so much...

He'd hoped time would help, but the longer he stayed away from Videl, the harder he seemed to fall for her. It didn't make any sense, but the distance between them still didn't change anything, and only made Gohan love her more. Granted, it had only been three months so far, but at the rate things were going Gohan started to believe that even a year from now, his feelings for Videl wouldn't have diminished in the least. He was actually pretty sure that even five, ten, twenty years wouldn't make a difference in how he felt about her. The kind of love he had for Videl couldn't simply fade away. It was too real, too strong, too beautiful. It consumed his soul, his heart – everything – and nothing would ever be able to put it out, Gohan knew it. It was immortal. A flame burning for all eternity.

His only hope was that time, if anything, would at least help him cope living without the woman he loved. In the meantime… maybe coming to see her from time to time wouldn't be such a bad thing?

His throat tightened suddenly. The giant facing Videl proved to be a lot stronger and more skilled than Gohan had anticipated, and he didn't like the way Videl winced as she barely blocked her opponent's attacks. He was surprisingly fast, given his stature, and Videl actually looked like she was having trouble. Gohan ground his teeth, an irrepressible rage taking hold of his gut at the thought of that freakishly huge guy harming his precious Videl.

Was it always like this? Ever since he'd been following her _ki_ whenever it spiked up when she fought in those meets – not on purpose, _obviously_ – Videl would always end up winning, but that didn't mean they were easy wins. Gohan could always tell whenever she was struggling, or when she was exhausting herself from going at it for too long. But seeing her fight now, with so many close calls as she dodged and blocked the giant's strikes, Gohan couldn't help feeling that this was far from the first time she was struggling in a fight, and his worry for her only increased tenfold.

She started preparing her left fist for a punch but moved around to the side at the last moment, causing the giant to lose his balance somewhat since he'd been ready to counter her, and then Videl jumped and roundhouse-kicked him across the face. The man was propelled toward the crowd, who quickly scattered away before his massive body could crush them. But Videl was quick to follow, and she jumped high and did a backflip before landing her heel on his stomach, making him double over, his eyes wide with the shock of the pain, spitting a mix of saliva and blood.

Gohan's heart raced, while Videl stood there and breathed heavily, looking down at her opponent. To Gohan's dismay, it hadn't been enough to knock him out, and the fighter struggled to get up. The audience got louder as he got on his hands and knees, panting hard, but then he was struck across the chin and thrown back once more. Videl held her pose, her leg outstretched, as her opponent impacted with the cement. His body twitched slightly, lying there on the hard floor, but this time he was definitely out cold.

 _Wow…_ Gohan thought in awe as he watched her. There was something fascinating in the way she fought. Though he knew Videl could be merciless, he'd never seen her fight like that. Granted, he actually hadn't seen Videl that much in all – which was pretty ridiculous considering how hopelessly in love he was – but still. She didn't even let the guy get up to face her properly, she barely gave him time to breathe, and she was obviously not holding back when she finished him off – which Gohan was thankful for, since he wouldn't have wanted to give her opponent a chance to hurt her. Videl was fighting dirty, and Gohan thought to himself that he could learn a thing or two from her.

He chuckled softly. She really was awesome. Though he wished she wouldn't put herself in harm's way all the time, who was he to judge? At least she wasn't risking her life in those fights.

Another dejected sigh escaped his lips, as his thought process reminded him of the reason why they couldn't be together. If he hadn't constantly been fighting the cyborgs and putting his life in danger, Videl could have been with him. Because he couldn't just stop trying when he was the only one strong enough to face them and maybe one day save the world, Gohan couldn't be with the woman he loved more than anything in the world. There was nothing he could do about it, except hope that he had it in him to kills those monsters, so that the world could be safe again, and Videl could take him back. If she'd still have him.

But until then… Gohan tightened his arms around his cheeks, his heart twisting in worry as yet another buffy guy challenged Videl. Until then, he could only watch her from afar, never letting himself known to her.

This situation was so depressing.

ooOoo

It was nagging at the back of her mind. Videl didn't really understand what it meant, or why she'd been feeling like someone was watching her – it was silly, really. She fought in those clandestine meets, _of_ _course_ people were watching.

But this was different. Somehow. And it didn't feel like a creepy presence either, like a stalker or something. But it was there, and she could feel it. Someone looking at her.

It was really stupid. Maybe her senses were off, or on the contrary, they were so acute that she could feel even some random person looking at her as if it meant something.

Videl shook her head and continued to warm up. Her turn was coming up, and she had to be ready. Especially since she intended to be running up for the next few hours, like she usually did.

The organization here was a bit different than what she was used to. Instead of letting the fighters challenge the winner in a bit of a random fashion, there was actually a registration corner and they gave each fighter a number. Even the gambling was more organized and had its own corner. Those people took it a lot more seriously, and they seemed to do a good job. Well, as long as she got her winnings, they should get along okay.

She paused her movements. There it was again. That chill running down her spine. Videl straightened up and frowned, looking left and right, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. She crossed her arms, tapping her foot. The feeling was still there. She just didn't get it. It didn't make any sense.

Then, on the spur of the moment, Videl turned around and looked up at the high ceiling. She blinked – there was nothing, but for a moment she thought she saw… Her heart quickened, but she berated herself for such wishful thinking. It was just her imagination. She just missed him, that was all.

She did _not_ just see a streak of orange zoom past her line of vision. It was just her mind playing tricks on her.

Ugh, she missed Gohan way too much.

ooOoo

His heart felt like it was going to burst out of his chest. That had been _way_ too close. What was he _thinking_? Well, he couldn't have guessed that Videl would suddenly just look up, he'd thought hovering a good distance from her would've been a good spot to watch her fights… Damn, he really needed to be more careful. Videl was too sharp for her own good.

Actually, what he _really_ needed to do was to stop coming to see her fight altogether.

But… Gohan sighed, looking back at Videl as she got ready for her turn. Coming to see her was his only consolation. And really, he wasn't even doing anything wrong. He was keeping his distance like he'd promised her. He just needed to be more careful, that was all. Gohan just couldn't bring himself to cut all ties with Videl.

Even if coming to see her in those street fight meetings only made him fall harder for her every time, even if it actually only made him miss her more than ever and wish he could hold her close… Gohan was simply not ready to let her go.

And he probably never will.

ooOoo

Her long hair flowing on her right side, Videl absentmindedly ran her brush through the raven locks, all the knots long since gone. She was sitting on her bed, getting ready for bed, and looking out the window at the pouring rain. She used to not care about it, but now Videl was starting to really, really hate the rain. It always reminded her of the night she met Gohan. The first time he made her laugh despite herself, the first time she felt something in her heart as they talked under some store's canopy. The first time she felt drawn to him as he looked at her with so much gentleness in his pitch black eyes. The first time he kissed her, making her whole being burn as she drunkenly thirsted for more.

That was when it all went wrong. When Gohan kissed her for the first time, and she all but melted in his arms. She hated him for making her feel so completely helpless, and most of all she hated herself, for being utterly unable to resist him.

It had been months since the last time she saw him, yet the pain in her heart still burned as vividly as ever. She missed him like crazy, and all this time apart from him was only hurting her more. Why couldn't she get over him? She'd only seen the guy _two fucking times_ in all, for God's sake! Yes, the second time they spent all day having amazing sex, but _geez_ , this was _ridiculous_! Even after all this time, there was not a moment where she wasn't thinking about him and wishing he could be with her, and hold her close, and kiss her, and have lots more of mind-blowing sex with her. How long was this going to last? Why wasn't it getting easier to be apart from him with time?

Videl paused brushing her hair, and swallowed. What if… What if time would never be able to heal her heart?

She shook her head, dismissing those thoughts from her mind. She set her brush on her night table, and slid under the covers. Turning off her lamp, she made herself comfortable on her bed. She closed her eyes, trying to tune out the sound of the rain hitting the window and the roof, wishing she could stop thinking about the night she and Gohan met – or better yet, that she could stop loving him so damn much. The only reason she pushed him away was because she thought that time would make it easier for her, if or when Gohan died in battle. But even after several months away from him she was more in love with him than ever. Videl knew that if he died tomorrow, she might go mad from losing him.

Maybe it still hadn't been long enough. Maybe she needed a year, or more, to be able to cope with losing him for good. But would she have the time? Gohan fought the cyborgs any chance he got, and one of these days they would get tired of him and finish him off. What if "one of these days" was tomorrow, or next week?

Videl hugged her pillow, her eyes shut tightly. She sniffled softly. Why did he have to be the one man strong enough to face those superpowered monsters? Why couldn't she believe in him, and stay by his side no matter what?

What if pushing Gohan away had been a mistake?

She swallowed. If the cyborgs decided to kill Gohan before she got over him, then breaking it off with him would have been pointless. She would still hurt like hell when it happened, but instead of spending as much time with him as possible, instead of making the most of every second of the time they had left together, she let him go, broke both of their hearts, and now she was moping pitifully and wishing he were there with her.

Videl rolled on her back, and rubbed her eyes, sniffling again. Was it going to stop raining already? It _really_ wasn't making it easier to stop thinking about Gohan and feeling depressed. Not that she was ever able to stop thinking about him at all, rain or not, but it sure wasn't helping.

She sighed, and sat up. She was thirsty. Videl pushed her blanket aside, moved her legs over the bed and on the floor, stood up, and walked out the door. She didn't bother turning on the lights, her sight long used to the dark, and continued to the kitchen. Then she took a glass from the counter and turned on the faucet of the sink, pouring some tap water in it. She gulped it all in one go, and let out a sigh as she set the now empty glass in the sink.

Videl tucked some strands behind her ear, leaning back on the kitchen's counter, and folded her arms. She frowned at the darkness, staring at some random spot on the floor, and wondered if going to bed was even worth it at this point. It was one of those nights, when she missed Gohan more than ever, and she just couldn't sleep. Videl knew that if she tried anyway it wouldn't work, and she'd end up tossing and turning all night, growing more and more frustrated as sleep kept on evading her, and she wouldn't be able to get any rest in the end.

Well, she might as well try to tire herself out training. Sure, she was already tired from the street fights of tonight, but it obviously wasn't enough, so heh, what the hell.

But just as she started to move toward the light switch, there was a knock on the door.

Videl frowned. She glanced at the kitchen's window, and indeed it was still pouring outside – not that she couldn't hear it hitting the roof and the windows anyway. Who on earth could be standing in the rain at some ungodly hour of the night and knocking on her door? Actually who _would_ knock on her door at _all_ , period? She didn't know anyone around there, and she'd recently moved again to another town, placing her capsule house around the outskirts, near a forest like she would usually do. She always tried to stay close to a forest when she moved to another place in case the cyborgs attacked; running there and hiding among the tall trees would be her best chance of survival if that ever happened.

The person behind the door knocked again – slowly, maybe with a little of hesitation too. Videl's brow furrowed further, but this time in worry, as a new thought formed in her mind. What if it was someone who was injured from a previous attack, or just in need of help in general? The world may be a harsh place, but if someone in trouble showed up at her place, how could she just ignore them? It had never been in her nature to look the other way. If Videl could help, she always tried.

So Videl finally switched on the lights, grunting slightly as the sudden glare blinded her. She closed one eye to get used to it and walked over to the front door.

When she opened it, however, her heart all but stopped and she forgot how to breathe.

Gohan stood there, completely drenched from the still pouring rain. His fists were clenched tightly, his breathing was heavy... and through his dripping, sticky bangs, he was looking at her with the most desperate, heartbreaking eyes.

"I'm sorry," he whispered hoarsely, and swallowed, closing his eyes for a few moments, as if he were struggling with himself. "I'm so sorry, Videl. But it's… it's raining."

Videl felt like she could cry, and it took all of her willpower not to break down right there, right now. Her lips trembled slightly as she attempted to find her voice. "Don't just stand there in the rain, you're going to get sick. Come on."

She reached for his hand, to lead him inside where he could dry himself before he caught the flu or something, but Gohan didn't budge. His whole body was tensed up, almost shaking. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't be here," he whispered.

Yet he wasn't leaving, either. Gohan just stood there, looking down at her, and drenched to the bone by the rain flooding on him. It was like his body wasn't obeying him. It had been months since they last saw each other, and yet tonight, Gohan hadn't been able to stop himself from coming to see her – it was just too much for him, wasn't it? It wasn't the first downpour since their goodbyes, but this time, he hadn't been able to stop himself anymore. And it was obvious that he knew he shouldn't have come. Despite accepting her decision, tonight, Gohan hadn't been able to respect it. And he was struggling. He was struggling so much, trying to do the right thing. For her sake.

Her heart was bleeding. It was her fault. She was the one putting him through this. It was her fault that the most amazing man alive was in so much pain. And Videl wasn't sure it was even worth it.

"Come on, Gohan," she said again, her tone soft. "I don't want you to get sick." She tugged at his hand, and Gohan's eyes looked at her pleadingly, still unsure of what to do. "It's okay, you can come in. We're making an exception, just this once."

He swallowed, and finally nodded his head. "Okay…" he conceded, his shoulders slumping in defeat as he let himself be dragged inside her capsule house.

His clothes, his hair, his skin were dripping, creating a pool of water around his feet on the floor. Gohan looked up at Videl to apologize again, although for a different reason this time, but his voice died in his throat and he blinked, as he noticed what Videl was wearing as her pajamas. He couldn't help the smile that formed on his lips. It felt like his first smile of the year.

"Nice pj's," he said with a hint of teasing in his tone, and closed the door behind him with his free hand.

Videl's face flushed instantly, her eyes widening as she looked down at herself. "W-Well it's loose and comfy, and I like the fabric. I'm not wearing your shirt because you gave it to me or anything."

"Sure you're not," he chuckled softly, and Videl turned even redder.

"Shut up," she muttered. She pouted and turned away, tugging at his hand again as she led him through her house. Her tiny, soft hand. He liked holding her hand.

Gohan grinned. It was like the muscles on his face had come back to life after all these months of moping and sulking – and it felt good. It felt so good, just to be in her presence. He knew the reasons why he shouldn't have come to see her, but they seemed so futile compared to the rush of warmth that spread throughout his chest as she held his hand and pulled him across the narrow hallway.

Videl stepped into a small, cramped room, and switched on the light. It was the laundry room.

"Put your clothes in the dryer," she instructed, letting go of his hand to turn toward some high cupboards on his left and grab a couple of towels. She got one over his head before he could say or do anything, and chuckled softly. "Here you go."

Slowly, he raised his arms, and started rubbing the towel on his hair.

"Your clothes first, Gohan," she reminded him, hints of amusement in her tone. "Or would you rather catch the flu?"

Beneath the fluffy white towel, Gohan cracked a smile. Ahh… how he's missed this girl...

As he started untying his belt, Videl turned to the dryer and programmed it. "Once you put your clothes in there just push the "start" button," she said. "You can stay here until it stops raining. I'm gonna prepare the couch for you in the meantime."

She passed him in the cramped room to get to the door, and Gohan felt his throat tighten as she brushed his arm on her way out, her lovely scent reaching his nostrils. Gohan swallowed, and stood still for a few moments after she left, trying to will his heartbeats to calm down. He shook his head, let out a sigh, and proceeded to undress. He put his blue and orange training gear inside the dryer, only keeping his boxers on, and pushed the "start" button like Videl told him to. The machine read one hour. Gohan found himself wishing it would still be raining after his clothes finished drying, just so he could stay a little bit longer.

He leaned against the shelves that lined the walls, and continued to dry his hair with the towel Videl gave him. Gohan sighed. As much as he wanted to stay here and be with Videl, he knew it was a bad idea. He'd already made his decision. They shouldn't be together, not with the way he lived his life, and not if it meant making Videl worried sick about him every time he risked his life fighting the cyborgs. He'd accepted it, no matter how much it hurt.

But… Gohan closed his eyes. No buts. It was already bad enough that he hadn't been able to stop himself from going to see her tonight. He shouldn't even be here. It was already making things harder, and Gohan feared that even though he'd made up his mind, he might do something stupid and make Videl cry again. A lump rose in his throat at the memory of her sobbing, trembling form, as she told him they couldn't be together. He never wanted to see her like that again, and especially not because of him. Never again.

He heard her steps getting closer, and turned his head as she appeared in the doorway. She'd been about to say something, but no words came out of her open mouth as she froze, staring at him.

"Your scars…" she breathed out, stepping closer to him. Slowly, she reached to touch his left pectoral, tracing the lines that came together just over his heart. "I… I noticed you had scars, the day we spent together, but with all your bandages…" She looked up at him, her deep blue eyes clouding with despair. "What have they done to you…?"

Gohan thought he might lose it. Her touch, her scent, her voice, and her eyes… Her gorgeous, stunning eyes, looking at him with so much… so much…

Love.

He swallowed. His heart was racing like crazy. His hands trembled – he clenched them into fists. "I… I'm not going to lie. The cyborgs are sadistic bastards, and I'm their favorite toy." He smiled sadly, took her hand off of his chest, and let it go. "That's why we can't be together, right?"

Videl lowered her eyes, looking at his scarred chest again. Her lips pursed in worry, and Gohan sighed. "I'm fine, Videl. Really," he breathed out, closing his eyes tightly. The whole purpose of staying away from her was to spare Videl from worrying about him, and now it was all for nothing. Because of just one moment of weakness – he just _had_ to see her tonight, huh? – he just ruined all of his effort of the past five months, one week, and three days.

Yes, he counted the days.

"How many times…" she started, and took a shaky breath. "How many times did you come close to dying?"

He swallowed. "I… have no idea."

She met his eyes with a frown. "Too many times to keep track?"

"They don't try to kill me, not really," he muttered, looking away. Her accusing, vibrant blue eyes were too much for him. "I'm their favorite toy, remember?"

"I can… see that," she said slowly. Gohan flinched when she touched another one of his scars. Her fingers traced the big one that ran diagonally across his stomach, from the bottom of his left pectoral, all the way down across his stomach and to the lower side of his waist. His breathing deepened, and Gohan clenched his eyes shut, his tights fists shaking slightly.

"V… Videl…" he murmured breathlessly. _What was she doing to him…?_

"How did you find me?" she asked as she pulled her hand back, changing the subject out of the blue. He blinked his eyes open, and gave an awkward smile as he looked Videl, who was still frowning at him.

"It's, um… It's complicated," he offered uneasily, scratching his hair. "Say, I'm a bit chilly, you wouldn't happen to have something I could use until my clothes are dry, would you?"

Yes, he was trying to change the subject, and with Videl so close to him and touching him just a moment ago his body actually felt hot and tingly, but really, he had no desire to tell Videl that he'd been watching her fights for the past two months, or to explain how he was able to sense her _ki_ skyrocket every time she fought or trained. That would make him sound like a stalker or something, when really he _wasn't._ It wasn't like he could just turn off his _ki_ -sensing ability, and it wasn't his fault that Videl was so strong that it was pretty hard not to feel her energy signature when it spiked up.

She narrowed her eyes at him, clearly not buying his lame attempt to change the subject. "Do you want your shirt back?"

From her tone and the way she looked at him, it was like she was daring him to say yes. Gohan felt a trickle of sweat roll down his temple.

"I, uh, no, it's fine. I gave it to you and besides it really suits you so, um… yeah, just keep it," he blabbered awkwardly, looking at his feet.

"I'll give you something when you've answered me, Gohan," she asserted, her tone firm. "How did you find me?"

Gulping, Gohan forced himself to look at Videl again, and he couldn't help the tiny smile tugging at the corner of his lips at her serious pout. She was just so cute.

"Could we… maybe, get out of this room first?" he asked, scratching his hair again. Videl rolled her eyes and turned around. Wordlessly, Gohan followed her out of the laundry room, and they walked the short distance to her bedroom.

His eyes instinctively fell on the bed, but Gohan quickly looked away. He took a shaky breath, willing away the images of the two of them, months ago, in that bed. His face heated up. He could almost hear her sighs and moans of delight as his mouth, his hands explored every inch, every curve of her gorgeous, voluptuous body. And he remembered all too clearly the way she would squirm under him, or on top of him, and the way her breath would hitch as he felt her tighten around him…

He swallowed thickly.

He almost didn't catch the pieces of clothing Videl threw at him. Unfolding it in front of him, Gohan was surprised to find a brown, male-sized bathrobe. He frowned. Could it have been owned by one of Videl's… one-night-stands?

"Whose…?" he couldn't help but ask, yet at the same time, he was unable to form a full sentence and complete the question. Gohan swallowed nervously and looked over at Videl, who was standing by her open closet.

She turned around to close the doors of the closet. "It was my dad's."

Gohan suspected that she'd purposely turned away from him to hide her expression. His heart dropped. Silently, he put on the robe. It felt weird, and somewhat inappropriate, to wear something that used to belong to Videl's father.

"Thanks," he murmured softly, tying the belt around his waist.

She did say that she had lost everyone she'd ever cared about. Gohan wondered how long Videl had been living alone like that. He wondered how old the bathrobe he was wearing was. Videl had mentioned that her father had been the one who made her want to learn how to fight, the night he met her… And he wondered how long she got to train with her dad before she lost him, too.

She turned around, and Gohan looked up to meet her gaze. Videl folded her arms. "So? How did you find me?" she asked once again.

He sighed in defeat, and walked the short distance to the bed to sit down, his shoulders slumping, and his forearms on his thighs. "I have a special ability," he started, looking down at his hands. "I can feel the energy of any living being. And the stronger the person is, the easier it is for me to pinpoint it. So when you fight, your energy signature, your _ki_ , it spikes up, and no matter where I am I can feel it. I can't really control it, I can't turn it off…" He was growing nervous, feeling her piercing eyes fixated on him. "I'm sorry," he breathed out, massaging his temple with his right hand. He closed his eyes, and let out a sigh. "I really tried to stay away from you, but it really didn't help that I could feel you whenever you were fighting…"

"So you've been pretty much spying on me."

His head jerked up to look at her, feeling the impulse to defend himself. But his voice died in his throat as he was met with her deep frown and defensive posture. He actually _had_ been spying on her, hadn't he?

Gohan hung his head in shame. "I'm sorry," he whispered again. "I just need you so much."

He winced as the words left his mouth before he could stop them. "Sorry, I…" He swallowed. "... didn't mean to say that out loud."

He heard Videl sigh deeply, and sneaked a peek at her. The way she massaged her nape, and the way she shuffled her feet, her gaze dropping to the floor… She looked so tired, both physically and emotionally. He hated that he was only causing her more grief.

"I'll leave as soon as my clothes are dry," he declared, standing up. "I won't cause you any more trouble."

"Don't be stupid," she countered, stepping toward him with a frown on her face. "I didn't use my dryer for your clothes just so you could get them soaked again. It's still raining pretty hard." She poked his chest in a commanding fashion, and Gohan couldn't help the thin smile curving his lips ever so slightly as he looked down at her. "You will wait until it stops."

"Yes ma'am," he conceded, his smile widening.

She narrowed her eyes at him, her forefinger still poking his chest, and Gohan noticed the slight twitch at the corner of her mouth. His eyes lit up. Was she forcing down a smile?

"Anyways," she muttered, taking a step back and looking away. "I got the couch ready for you, so you might as well spend the night. It doesn't look like it's gonna stop raining anytime soon."

Gohan felt a surge of tenderness for this adorable young woman. She may try to pass off as mean and uncaring, but Gohan knew that that couldn't be farther from who she really was. Behind the tough attitude and the harsh glares, Videl was, in fact, very sweet and kind. He could see the real her so clearly – the beautiful person she truly was. She had such an honest, caring heart... and it only made him fall in love with her all the more.

He turned away, starting toward the door. "Thanks," he said softly.

He didn't look back, as much as he was dying to. He walked out, and didn't look back at her – it was all he could do to force himself not to run back to her and kiss her breath away.

Videl flopped back on her bed as Gohan closed the door behind him, and heaved out a deep sigh. She closed her eyes, and tried to will her heart to calm down. Her emotions were running wild tonight, with everything that was happening. Now Gohan would be sleeping just a few doors down, in her living room, and her soul ached for his presence. She hated how much she needed him, and she hated, _hated_ how happy she was, in fact, that he came to see her tonight.

It wasn't fair that Gohan got to… keep tabs on her? Well, he'd been "feeling" her "energy", whatever that meant, and she suspected, with the way he couldn't stop apologizing, that he did more than just sense where she was while she fought in the street fight meets. It would explain that feeling she'd been having, too… And now she knew she hadn't been hallucinating when she caught sight of an orange streak now and then. It was obvious that Gohan had been coming to watch her fights.

She should be mad at him. She should feel offended and outraged that Gohan had been pretty much stalking her. Well, that was probably a strong word… He didn't do anything that a fan going to every concert of their favorite band wouldn't do. And Gohan _had_ been keeping his distance all this time, making sure she didn't see him, and respecting her choice no matter how heart-wrenchingly hard it obviously was for him to stay away. It was… endearing, in a way, how he just couldn't help it, how he just _had_ to see her, even if that meant that he could never let his presence known to her. Even if that meant he could only watch her from afar.

" _I just need you so much,"_ he'd blurted out. Her heart throbbed, and Videl clutched her chest. Ah, if only he knew just how much she needed him, too.

 _Was it really worth it?_ she found herself doubting. And Gohan, he was so obviously in love with her… Despite how she wished she didn't know, despite her forbidding him to ever say it to her, it was so painfully clear that he was just as crazy about her as she was about him. The fact that he hadn't been able to resist coming tonight, just because it was raining, only showed that Gohan craved for her just as much as she craved for him.

Videl sighed, and got up to turn off the light switch. As she slipped back under her comforter, she knew, she just knew that she wasn't going to get any sleep tonight. Not with the whispers of the heavy rain still pouring outside, and most certainly not with Gohan so close by, and yet much, much too far.

ooOoo

Gohan was lying on the couch, wide awake. Videl had gotten him a pillow and a blanket. He was a bit too big for the couch though, and his legs were sticking out of the armrests. But that wasn't why he couldn't sleep. It was uncomfortable, sure, but it didn't really bother him, and he'd slept on worse actually.

Really, how was he supposed to calm down and fall asleep when Videl was just so damn _close_? And he knew she wasn't sleeping either, he could sense it in her _ki_. He could feel that she was just as troubled as him, too. Hey, he wasn't doing it on purpose, okay? How was he supposed to block out her _ki_ signature when she was just a few doors away? He hadn't been able to do that when he was on the other side of the world, so what were his chances of successfully turning his senses off when only a wall separated him from her?

He turned his head to look at the hour, blinking in blue on the DVD player. It had been almost an hour, and the dryer should be done with his clothes shortly. He then turned his head upside down to look out of the window behind him, and sure enough, it was still raining heavily. Gohan wasn't sure whether he wished it stopped raining or not. On one hand, he wanted to stay with Videl, but on the other hand, what would it accomplish? He was just rubbing salt into the wound, and it wasn't like he could let anything happen between them. It had been tough to resist so far but he couldn't let himself lose his cool now. No matter how much he craved to touch her again.

Gohan closed his eyes and put his hand over them, feeling a lump rise in his throat. God, he craved for Videl so freaking much. His chest burned at the thought of her trembling hand touching his scars earlier. He ached to wrap his arms around her and hold her close; breathe in her intoxicating scent, nuzzle her neck… kiss her skin, her lips, kiss her everywhere, bury himself into her…

He hit his temple with his palm. _Stop it_ , he commanded himself. It was all pointless. As long as he was still fighting for his life, he and Videl had no future together. Coming here was a stupid, stupid mistake.

That damn rain. _Ugh._

He thought he heard a faint _beep_ coming from the hallway, and Gohan looked at the hour again. The dryer must be done with his clothes. _Good. Now I can just leave and never come back_.

He pushed the comforter off of him and stood up. He didn't put on the robe Videl let him borrow, since he was going to wear his _gi_ anyway, and slowly sneaked to the laundry room, hoping that he wouldn't have to come across Videl before he left.

He got in the cramped room and opened the dryer's round door. He crouched down and grabbed his _gi_. And then he froze. Videl's bedroom door just clicked open. She was coming to retrieve his clothes, too. Damn it.

He straightened up, and heaved out a sigh. Just his luck. He started putting on his pants anyways, and he was tying his belt when Videl opened the door to the laundry room.

"Oh, you already got them," she said with a small smile. Gohan quickly averted his eyes and put on his blue undershirt. Videl took a few steps toward him, which in this cramped room meant she stood way too close – he could feel her body heat, and smell her fruity scent. His skin tingled.

"Say, since we're both awake," Videl started, and Gohan looked up at her to show he was listening. He really just wanted to get as far from her as possible, or he knew he was going to crack and do something they'd both regret. "How about we watch a movie?"

He blinked. It sounded like a good idea... But, no, he couldn't stay. Gohan opened his mouth to say that he should just go, and apologize for breaking his promise – but then he found himself getting lost in her deep blue eyes. He tried to swallow the lump caught in his throat. Did he have to be so damn attracted to her? How was he supposed to do the right thing when he really just itched to pull her against him and claim her mouth possessively?

He looked away, scratching his hair. "I don't think…"

"Oh come on, I'm bored, and I can't sleep," Videl pleaded, cutting him off before he could formulate his protest. "I'm thinking back to the future, what do you say?"

Gohan looked at her in confusion. What she just said did not make any sense. What was she talking about? "What?"

"The movie, Gohan. Back to the Future," she explained. Then she eyed him skeptically at his blank expression. "Wait, you really don't know? But it's a classic! And one of my favorite movies. Now we _have_ to watch it – you're gonna love it!"

Gohan chuckled awkwardly, scratching the back of his head again. Ah, she was so cute… how could he say no?

Well… surely a movie wouldn't hurt, right?

* * *

 _An extra long chapter in hopes to make up for the long wait. The muse wasn't as giving the past months, but I worked very hard to finish this chapter. I hope you enjoyed it! :D Reviews would make me very happy. :)_

 _Beta'd by Mysterious Prophetess. Big thanks to her! Also, shoutout to TheGodfather93 for helping me brainstorm. :D_

* * *

 _November 10, 2015_


	6. Giving In or Giving Up

_Chapter Six: Giving In or Giving Up_

* * *

Videl didn't own many films, but the _Back to the Future_ trilogy had always been one of her favorite movie series. Her small collection of DVDs fit on a single shelf, which hung on the wall just above the television; Videl moved her hand along the row of film covers and stopped on the famous title logo. She smiled to herself as she took it out, and turned around to face Gohan, who was sitting on the couch with the blanket and pillow she'd prepared for him earlier. She caught his eyes for a millisecond before Gohan quickly looked away and massaged his neck, a faint, reddish hue coloring his cheeks. Her own face grew warm, and Videl turned her back on him again, fiddling with the film cover. She swallowed, and her hands shook ever so slightly as she opened the thin plastic box and took the disc out.

She could feel his eyes on her – turning to her again, following her every move. It made her feel extremely self-conscious of the simple tee-shirt she was wearing as her pajamas – _his_ shirt, no less. Well, it was too big for her and it kind of fit her more like a nightgown than a shirt, reaching down to her mid-thighs, but Videl still wished she was wearing pajama pants or, at least, shorts. Especially when she had to crouch down to put the film in the DVD player. She was careful not to bend over – although, it wasn't like Gohan hadn't seen her naked before, or spent hours exploring and ravishing every inch of her skin...

Her face burned up while her mind, against her better judgment, conjured images of _that day_... Videl willed those memories away, and commanded herself _not_ to think of the way Gohan would look at her, or the way he'd kiss her and grip her hips just a little tighter while he…

She swallowed, getting dizzy from the rush of blood. She took her time straightening herself up, grabbed the remote control from the TV-stand, carefully avoided his gaze when she turned around, and still refused to look at him even when she sat down on top of the blanket – on the other end of the couch from him, for good measure.

Her shoulders slumped. This was a terrible idea to begin with – she knew it, Gohan knew it, but it was kind of too late now, wasn't it? It had been her idea to watch a movie, and Gohan hadn't even been up to it to at first. And now everything was ready and she just had to press play on the remote… Maybe once the movie started, Gohan would finally _stop staring at her_.

Her face grew hotter. Becoming more and more self-conscious under Gohan's not-so-discreet scrutiny, she brought her legs closer to her and pulled her – _his_ – shirt over her knees and down to her ankles.

"So, what's the movie about?" Gohan asked. Videl still wouldn't look at him, but she could just imagine his cute inquiring expression, with his head slightly tilted to the side.

She fiddled with the blanket beneath them, keeping her gaze on her left hand – Gohan was to her right. Then she pushed the blanket forward, rose her hips slightly and slipped under it, covering her bare legs more effectively. But as she hugged it close to her, Videl felt her heart clench ever so slightly… it already smelled like Gohan, with just a twinge of rain.

Just like on the night they met.

"It's about time travel and friendship. A bit of romance too, I guess…" she added as an afterthought, and Videl looked at the remote control by her side with some hesitation, wondering if that movie was the right choice. Sure, it _was_ mostly about Marty and Doc, but it was also about Marty trying to play matchmaker with his parents from the past, wasn't it?

"It's a famous movie, right? I feel like I've heard of it, but I'm not sure. Hm…" Gohan added thoughtfully. Videl finally turned her head to look at him, and she almost immediately regretted it at the sight of him, holding his chin with a contemplative look etched on his boyish features. She felt her heart give a loud _thump_.

Goddammit. Did he have to be so damn _cute_?

She willed her mind to focus on the conversation. "It's a classic," she confirmed. Gohan's eyes rose to meet hers then, and Videl forgot how to breathe for a moment. She closed her parted lips and swallowed. She hated how nervous and stupid he made her feel. "I can't believe you've actually never seen it – _everyone_ has seen it."

He cracked a smile, and it took all of Videl's willpower not to downright melt into a puddle of goo and stare at him with a goofy, dreamy look. She chewed on the inside of her cheek instead.

"Well, growing up, my mother never liked to let me watch anything that wasn't educational," he explained, and scratched the back his head with a sheepish look – _ugh, could he get any_ cuter _?_ "So we only turned on the TV to watch the news and documentaries, mostly. I've told you she's super strict, haven't I?"

Without her consent, her lips broke into a smile of her own. Damn that Gohan and his infectious smiles. "Yeah, I remember."

Before she _actually_ turned into goo, Videl tore her gaze away from Gohan and turned to face the still black screen of the television set. She grabbed the remote beside her and finally turned on the TV, starting the DVD. The menu appeared.

"Well then, consider this me educating you on pop culture, and what people think is cool," she smirked, shooting him a quick glance out of the corner of her eye while she browsed through the options on the screen. Gohan raised his eyebrows, looking genuinely surprised.

"You don't think I'm cool?"

"Sure you are," she chuckled, rolling her eyes. Gohan frowned and crossed his arms, pouting.

"I'm not cool?"

Videl bit down on her lip to hold down a fit of giggles. Gohan was just too cute for words. Was he just now finding that out? "I'm just messing with you. And I'll admit, you're pretty badass when you fight."

His eyes lit up and his smile was back in a heartbeat. He leaned back on the couch and closed his eyes, looking quite pleased and glad... and Videl felt the urge to snuggle up to him and feel his strong arms wrap around her and hold her close. She tried to push those thoughts away and focused her attention back on the screen. She started the movie.

Gohan was quickly engrossed. Videl found herself glancing his way more often than she'd care to admit. His reactions were always spot on, and they were so fun to watch. Gohan was the perfect spectator: he gasped, grinned, tensed, cheered, laughed, or gave out short comments at all the right moments. Watching the different expressions play out across his face was so entertaining and endearing, and Videl felt her resolves weaken a little more each time Gohan glanced at her and met her gaze with that adorable smile of his.

In the current scene, Marty McFly was being chased by Biff and his gang, skateboard against convertible. He'd managed to stay ahead by hanging onto the back of a truck but Biff finally caught up to Marty, who was now clinging to the hood of the vehicle as it pushed his skateboard backward – right on course for a truck full of excrement. But just as a collision was about to happen, Marty skillfully made his skateboard roll underneath the car, climbed on top of it, swiftly walked through where the teenagers were sitting and landed back on his emerging board, casually skidding to a stop.

"So cool," Gohan let out in awe. Videl grinned, enjoying watching him watch the movie.

And then he laughed when the car bumped into the truck and piles of turds dropped on Biff's roofless car and the teens in it. Videl gazed at Gohan, a soft smile on her lips. She loved his laugh; unrestrained and genuine, it was simply the most beautiful sound in the world. Her heart picked up when he shot her a glance and grinned. She couldn't stop her own smile from spreading out on her lips.

It was weird how… _not weird_ it felt to be hanging out with Gohan like that. There was no awkwardness between them – it was just… _fun_. Once Videl got into the movie and stopped overthinking everything, all that was left was the fun. It felt so… _normal_ , like something that could have happened before the cyborgs ruined their world.

It was a nice change. Videl liked it. It may have been a bad idea to watch a movie together with him, but for now, Videl was thankful for this rare occurrence. Glancing at Gohan again, she felt a soft, warm glow spread through her chest. Her lips curved into a smile.

It took her a moment to recognize what that feeling meant: she was happy.

For now, she didn't want to think of what would have to happen later on. She didn't want to mull over having to say goodbye to him again – tonight, he was with her, and they were having such a great time. It didn't matter if spending time with Gohan was a bad idea, or that she was only falling harder for him because he was simply too lovable. In that very moment, right there, with him – his laughs, his smiles, his sideway glances – Videl actually felt happy, and she wanted to forget all the rest. It may become a painful memory with time, but tonight, watching this movie with Gohan – it was so very precious to her.

The film was nearing its end. While on the screen, Doc was struggling to plug the wire to the clock tower, having such bad luck that it could only be happening in a movie, Videl felt her heart jolt in her chest when Gohan suddenly grabbed her hand as the tension was building up. She peered at him, fighting down her stupid blush – he was only holding her _hand,_ for crying out loud – and just as she suspected, Gohan was so engrossed by the scene that he hadn't even realized what he had done.

"Come on… Come on," he encouraged Doc under his breath, his whole body tensed up. On the screen, the wire got stuck in some tree branches, down below on the street, and Doc kept tugging at it to plug it in, perched high up on the clock tower. But then the branches unplugged the wire, and Gohan groaned. "You have _got_ to be kidding me…"

Videl cracked a smile. He was just so cute. Her urge to snuggle up to him got even worse, and damn it, she was itching to kiss him. Her gaze lingered on his lips, and Videl felt her breathing shorten. She turned back to the movie. It was the climax. Marty was driving the time machine, gaining more and more speed, but Doc wasn't ready yet. Ah, she loved the tension in that scene.

Gohan's grip on her hand tightened slightly. Videl bit down on her lip, forcing herself not to glance at him again.

"They did it!" Gohan cheered and laughed, throwing his fists in the air in excitement – subconsciously letting go of her hand.

He was completely engrossed in the movie but all of a sudden he was staring at her again. Videl, however, pointedly stared at the screen while the last scenes unfolded.

" _Roads?"_ Doc smirked, turning on the engine of his DeLorean-turned-time machine. " _Where we're going we don't need roads."_

The vehicle lifted in the air and flew off, and Gohan laughed. "There's more to it? That's awesome!"

Videl felt a wave of peace wash over her, warmth swelling in her chest. As the credits rolled up and the ending soundtrack played, she finally turned her head and met his onyx eyes – beaming at her, echoing the big grin plastered on his face.

"I told you you'd love it," she smirked at him.

His expression softened. He leaned forward with his forearms on his lap and his head tilted to the side as he gazed at her, a soft smile playing on his lips. Videl felt her heart tighten in her chest, and her breathing deepened slightly.

"Yeah, it's an awesome movie. I really did love it," he replied, his tone soft. "I had a lot of fun, and it's been a while. Thank you for that, Videl."

Her lips parted slightly, her sight glazed over. The way Gohan was looking at her... that gentle, peculiar glint in his black eyes... Videl swallowed. She was unable to look away. She felt drawn to him, she wanted to move closer to him. And the small part of her heart she was trying to suppress was telling her to just go for it; to grab his collar, pull him to her, and ravish his lips until her thirst of him was quenched – which may just be _never_.

And he was so close – _so damn close_ – and looking at her with that infuriatingly gorgeous smile of his. _Ugh._ Why did she have to fall in love with that guy? She was doing _fine_ before she met him, or at least as fine as one could be in the current state of the world. But now... now her heart ached constantly, continuously, agonizingly, and Videl just wanted to go back to before she met Gohan.

"You're welcome," she mumbled, leaning back on the couch and frowning slightly, turning her gaze to the rolling credits.

The ending soundtrack, _Back In Time_ , was still playing. She could sure use some time travel right about now, too. Although, it would make more sense to somehow prevent the cyborgs from wrecking the world, wouldn't it?

She grabbed the remote and turned off the TV. However, now that it was off the sound of the storm outside seemed to be screaming in her ears. Videl sighed. Was that damn rain ever going to stop? Gohan staying over for the night was just too risky, but she couldn't possibly let him go out in that downpour.

She felt the cushion on her right sink slightly as Gohan moved closer, and before she could stop herself, Videl turned back to him. His pitch black eyes searched her blue ones, the concern on his expression almost tangible. She swallowed, willing her heart to calm down. He was too close. This was bad. He was way too close.

"Are you…?"

He trailed off as he reached for her face; his movement stood still just before it made contact and the glint in his eyes changed, toning down with what looked like resignation and regret. Gohan scooted back on the couch and looked down, clenching his fists in his lap.

A lump rose in her throat. Videl tore her gaze away from him and closed her eyes, struggling to hold in the hot, stingy tears burning beneath her lids. She swallowed, and took a few moments to compose herself, before pushing the blanket aside and standing up. The sudden action made Gohan turn to her, but Videl denied herself even a glance at him.

"Well," she muttered. "I'm going back to bed."

"Ah. Right."

Her heart dropped at the way his voice faltered in disappointment. Videl clenched her fists at her sides, trying to muster the strength to walk away.

"Good night, then," he murmured.

"Good night, Gohan."

Her voice was weak and hushed. She didn't dare give him a last look, but she felt his gaze following her as she walked out of the living room. She continued along the narrow corridor, before reaching her bedroom door. Videl grasped the handle, but just as she was going to push it down she hesitated, glancing back towards the living room where she'd left Gohan.

Would this be the last time she ever saw him? Her heart throbbed at the thought, but Videl shook her head swiftly, willing herself to be strong. She let out a tired sigh. It was better this way... wasn't it? Yes. Yes, it was. She and Gohan had no future together. She was right to cut all ties with him – she just needed more time to deal with losing him.

With any luck, she was going to die first and be done with all this crap.

Heaving out a resigned sigh, Videl pushed the handle and entered her bedroom. She walked over to the bed and simply sat down. The whisper of the never-ending rain continued to taunt her. She wondered if it would still be raining in the morning, and whether Gohan was going to be around when she woke up.

Videl took a deep breath and exhaled shakily. She had to be strong. She needed to forget about her doubts and forget about Gohan, once and for all. It may feel impossible right now, but Videl knew she had to try. People got over heartbreak all the time, didn't they? There was no reason she couldn't do the same. She just fell a little too hard for Gohan, and honestly who could blame her?

Videl plopped back down onto the mattress, her arms extended, and let out yet another sigh as she closed her eyes. It was hard to believe someone like Gohan even existed, and his extraordinary fighting abilities and superhuman strength wasn't even what she meant by that. He was just so... pure, so incredibly kind and sweet. His naive sincerity was endearing and refreshing, and Videl recalled with a wistful smile how, when they first met, he'd innocently admitted that he "had a thing for her." Yet, at the same time, there was also a maturity about him, way beyond his age. Living the way he did, fighting and losing against the cyborgs for the past decade, Videl didn't find that surprising. It broke her heart to think that such a pure and gentle soul like Gohan had had to fight a war all by himself, and from such a young age to top it off. And yet, still, through that hell, through everything he had been through... Gohan had still managed to stay optimistic and believe that a better world was possible.

Videl wished she could be more like him, but deep down, she knew the world was doomed. Gohan was just delaying the inevitable. Some day, the cyborgs would run out of people to kill and cities to destroy, and that would be it. There was no point in anything anymore, really.

Something in the air changed, and it took Videl a few moments to become aware of the complete silence. Videl sat up and turned to the window to make sure. The rain had stopped. That damn rain had finally stopped. _About time!_

Videl slid under the covers and closed her eyes. Maybe _now_ she would finally be able to fall asleep.

But, a few moments later, her body tensed when she picked up the sound of the front door clicking, and she sat up abruptly.

"No way…"

Before she knew what she was doing, Videl was already out of her room and flicking on the light; the hallway was facing the front door, and her face hardened when she caught sight of the sneaky little bastard trying to slip away without a word. Gohan stood completely still, like a deer caught in the headlights; his hand was gripping the handle, his right foot already out the door, and he didn't even dare turn his head to look at her. She crossed the hall and walked over to him. He still didn't move.

"So you were going to just leave like that, huh? And there I thought you were well-mannered," she spat sourly, folding her arms across her chest.

Gohan swallowed loudly; he let go of the handle and slowly turned around to face her. Videl scowled. He offered her a sad, apologetic smile, rubbing the nape of his neck.

"Isn't it better this way?" he reasoned, his voice soft, half-hearted. "We… We made a nice memory together tonight, so I thought…" He sighed. "I didn't want to have to say goodbye to you again." He looked down and finished in a whisper, "My heart can only take so much."

Her chest tightened painfully, but Videl scowled harder and repressed it. She was being unreasonable and she knew it, but catching Gohan about to just up and leave made her furious. Hell, _he_ could just sense her out – or whatever – and check up on her whenever he wanted, so of course it didn't matter to _him_ so much to just leave without a word. But this would be the last time _she_ would ever see him, and _he_ had the nerve to deny her a simple goodbye?

She clenched her jaw, her temper rising. "Fine! Just go! I don't care!" she huffed indignantly, turning on her heels and stomping away.

"Videl, wait," he called faintly, and she ignored how weak and dejected his voice sounded. She was about to grab the handle to her bedroom and slam the door shut behind her, but Gohan caught her wrist. She turned around in a swift movement and jerked her arm free.

" _What_?"

Gohan froze. The vision hit him like a punch in the gut, and he suddenly had trouble breathing. In that instant, the troubled young man was brought back to his first encounter with Videl, and the first time he'd grasped her arm in such a way; how she'd freed herself and snapped at him in the exact same way… right before he'd lost his mind and kissed her for the first time.

Back then, he had wistfully believed that maybe, just maybe, he and Videl could have a future together, if only he could hold her back.

And now…

His heart sank. His throat tightened. His eyes prickled. His vision blurred. Now, it was hopeless, utterly and irremediably hopeless.

She looked away and puckered her lips in a pout, folding her arms across her chest. "Stop looking at me like that," she mumbled, her voice quivering ever so slightly.

He swallowed thickly, but the lump in his throat wouldn't go down. She looked so vulnerable, so fragile. He should just leave. He had to go. He'd made his decision; it was for her sake. His presence was only bringing her more pain, and the proof of that was right in front of him. He had to go, and he had to hurry, or he might just lose it and…

She turned to him shyly, the movement of her eyelashes casting a shadow on her cheeks before she slowly looked up at him. Gohan felt his resolves crumbling along with his heart, finding himself unable to look away. Gosh, her eyes... Her gorgeous, mesmerizing, conflicted blue eyes…

"Damn it," he cursed under his breath.

He was pulling her to him and wrapping his arms around her before he could stop himself. He held her close to him, and a faint smile formed on his lips when Videl relaxed in his arms and leaned into him almost instantly.

"See," he whispered into her hair, "this is why I was leaving. I knew I would end up doing something stupid like that if I stalled for too long."

She breathed in deeply, hiding her face in his shirt. "... You shouldn't have come at all," she mumbled, and yet, in contradiction to her words, she only tightened her arms around him and even nuzzled his chest.

"I tried not to," he sighed dejectedly, giving in just a teensy bit as he buried his face in the crook of her neck. God, how he'd missed this… Holding Videl against him, breathing in her beautiful scent... Touching her. Dear Lord, he'd missed touching her like crazy. His arms tightened around her small frame. Damn it, he didn't want to let go. "I tried so hard, but I just… I..." He trailed off, and swallowed, reminding himself of the one thing Videl forbade him to ever say to her.

She lifted her head to look at him, and reached up with her hand, touching his cheek with the back of her fingers. His chest ached. He could see it so clearly in her eyes; he just _knew_ that Videl felt exactly the same way, and in that instant Gohan wished – he wished so hard – that there could be a way for them to be together.

He closed his eyes and held her hand to his cheek, leaning into her palm. A single tear managed to escape from his closed lid, but before it could roll down his cheek Videl gently brushed it away with her thumb.

Her touch was too much. Gohan felt like breaking down and letting Videl comfort him while he wept on her shoulder.

"I'm so sorry, Gohan," she murmured, her voice brittle with torment. Her hand, cupping his cheek, moved to the back of his neck and slowly brought him down, their foreheads touching. "It's my fault. It's all my fault…"

"No, it's not," he disagreed, his tone weak. He placed his hand on her cheek while his other arm tightened around her waist, relishing the feel of her warm body pressed up against him. "You were right. You and I… it can't work. It's my fault, I should've stayed away like I said I would. I should've just stayed away…"

Videl kept her eyes tightly shut as she moved her hands to cup his face. The heart-wrenching notes of grief and guilt in his voice made her eyes burn underneath her lids. It took all of her willpower to hold it together and not break down in a mess of sobs and tears.

"I-I wish…" Her voice was cracking, and Videl took a moment to suck in a deep breath before giving it another try. "I wish I was brave enough to have faith in you."

Gohan buried his face in the crook of her neck, his strong arms almost crushing her body against his.

"If you say that, I won't be able to let go…" he whispered, his breath, brushing her skin, sending shivers down her spine.

Videl swallowed. She knew it couldn't happen, that it would be a stupid, stupid mistake to give in now – but, God, she craved him so much it hurt. She took his head between her palms and pulled it back so she could look at him. His hurting, pitch black eyes locked on hers, and Videl felt the last of her resolve slip away from her grasp.

This was it. She had reached her limit, and she couldn't fight it anymore. Her gaze lowered to his lips, and Videl tried to remember what they tasted like. It had been so long… It felt like a lifetime ago since the last time they had shared a kiss.

Her breath shortened, her chest heaved, and she looked up to meet his eyes again. Her heartbeat picked up, and her throat tightened. His intense stare was making her feel weak.

But Gohan closed his eyes and shook his head. Slowly, reluctantly, he pried her hands off his face and pulled away from her, taking a step back.

Videl felt cold when his warmth left her.

"We can't, Videl," he forced out in a low voice, averting his eyes. He ran his hand over his face, his shoulders slumping, and heaved out a deep sigh. "I should go."

Still, Gohan looked back at her, and a faint, sad smile crossed his lips as he couldn't help brushing her bangs away from her eyes with a featherlike touch. A lump rose in her throat and blurred her sight; Videl bit down on her lip, commanding herself to hold it together.

He kissed her forehead. She shut her eyes tightly as his lips lingered. Slowly, Gohan pulled back and his sad, resigned eyes lowered to meet hers, his agonizing smile sending an arrow through her chest.

Videl wished she could be at least half as strong as him.

"Goodbye, Videl," he murmured.

"Gohan…" She swallowed thickly, her eyes burning. _Don't go,_ she wanted to implore him. _Please, stay with me._

But Gohan turned around and crossed the hall toward the front door. As he grasped the handle, however, the man who stole her heart looked back at her over his shoulder, locking eyes with her one last time.

 _Don't go, please,_ Videl pleaded silently, her lower lip quivering as she took a step forward. But Gohan was deaf to her telepathic plea; he turned towards the door once more and walked out, closing it behind him with a depressing _click_.

Her wobbly legs moved of their own accord, taking step after step toward the door. Upon reaching it, Videl slowly leaned forward, let her forehead rest on the cold steel and closed her eyes, blowing out a shaky breath. She placed her palm against the surface; she could still feel Gohan's presence… or was she deluding herself? Did her wistful desire to hold him back mess up with her head?

Her lips quivered and Videl swallowed, as a few tears finally managed to escape from her closed lids.

"Gohan?" she croaked out, hoping against hope that her gut feeling wasn't wrong. "Are you still behind the door?"

A few moments passed, but nothing happened. Videl clenched her fist against the steel door and let her silent tears roll down her cheeks. God, she was hopeless. Gohan was gone. Of course he was gone. It was over. Gohan was gone.

She was never seeing him again.

"... Yes."

His voice was muffled, having come from the other side of the door, and for a moment Videl was too stunned to move. Her heart raced in her chest, hammering loudly against her ribcage. She ran her hand over her face to wipe the wet trails, then took a step back; her hand trembled as she reached for the handle and started to pull the door open.

"Don't," Gohan pleaded distressfully, grasping the handle from the other side to prevent her from pulling it further. "Just… give me a minute, and I'll go. I just need a minute."

Videl swallowed, her heart pounding hard against her ribs, causing her blood to course faster through her veins and pulse loudly in her head, against her eardrums. It quieted down her common sense and made it impossible to think rationally. She didn't want him to go, and at that moment, it was all Videl could make out of the jumbled mess in her head.

"Or… you could stay the night," she sputtered, and bit down on her lip in apprehension, unsure of what she was doing. Her words hung in the air and were met with stunned silence, and Videl's heart wasn't calming down. Her hand was still gripping the doorknob, and she could feel the weakened pressure Gohan was putting on the other side.

"Just… just for tonight," she added, her voice wobbly. She swallowed again; her throat felt tight. What was she even saying? She had been the one to reject Gohan, and he had been hurting so much because of her, trying to do the right thing and respect her decision. And yet, there she was, tempting him, coaxing him to indulge her desire to spend one last night with him. She really was the worst – Gohan would be so much better off without her.

But the pressure on the door lessened, and Videl instinctively moved back as Gohan pushed it open. Her heart stopped for a moment as his coal eyes locked on hers – conflicted, hurting, yet utterly, helplessly, and so obviously and infuriatingly in love.

It lasted maybe three seconds yet it felt like hours, as they both stood on either side of the threshold, staring at each other. Letting go of the last remains of their restraint, they moved toward each other in the same movement; Gohan cupped her face between his palms, his breath short and increasingly erratic as he stared into her eyes. She saw apprehension and doubt flash in his still, but Videl was too far gone to stop now. She slipped her arms around his neck, brought him down towards her and reached up, her eyelids sliding shut.

A jolt of electricity coursed through her being when his lips met hers. She felt his reservations melt away as he returned her kiss; his hands angled her head back slightly, his fingers tangling in her long raven locks as he deepened the kiss. Videl eagerly welcomed his tongue into her mouth and moaned in response. Her arms tightened around his neck, clinging to him for dear life. He let go of her face to wrap his arms around her waist, holding her closer against him. Videl sighed in delight against his lips, loving the way his rock hard body felt against her curves.

Dear God, how had she ever managed to last so long without his touch, his kisses, his warmth? His taste was addictive, and his unique, masculine scent was driving her to the edge. How could it be so ridiculously easy for him to set her skin, her whole being on fire?

Much too soon, Gohan pulled back from the kiss. He pressed his forehead against hers, their lips barely millimeters away as their heavy breathing mingled. She kept her eyes closed, as if the simple action could block out the real world. For now, she was in Gohan's arms, and nothing else mattered, nothing else was happening. It was just him and her – just the two of them, tonight.

One last night.

"Are you sure we should?" he asked, his uncertain voice a hoarse whisper.

Her arms tightened possessively around his neck in response. "No... But I want to anyway. I need you so much right now, Gohan."

He let out a soft, dejected sigh, tickling her lips. "I guess we're saying goodbye, then…"

Her heart tightened. "Yeah…"

His lips brushed her quivering ones, ever so softly, kissing her for a few moments; then Gohan lowered his head to the crook of her neck, planting soft kisses on her skin, knowing just the way she liked it. Videl gave a shudder; her hold around his neck loosened, one hand dropping to his shoulder while the other rested against his chest. She bit down on her lip when Gohan slid his hands under her night shirt, slowly moving them up along her thighs, his fingertips barely brushing her skin, before stopping his course on her hips. Her head felt light; his fingers left a tingling, burning trail on her skin, his lips on her neck were doing all kinds of wonderful things to her, and her heart was just about ready to jump out of her chest.

"Let's… Let's move to my room," she murmured breathlessly.

"Mmm," he mumbled in approval against her skin.

He nuzzled her neck for a bit, breathing in deeply, then slowly straightened himself up before leaning in again to capture her lips in a very gentle, very tender kiss. Videl melted completely into his embrace, and she was barely aware of her surrounding as she let Gohan guide her to her bedroom. She vaguely registered the sound of the front door closing shut, but she was too entranced by Gohan's slow, loving kiss to make anything of it. The outside world had faded away completely – only Gohan remained; only Gohan mattered.

It felt like a blink later, she was lying back on her bed and Gohan was on top of her, his palms cupping her face as he kept kissing her in the most tender way. Her foggy mind registered that he was topless, and though she had no idea when that happened she sure wasn't complaining. She ran her hands along his bare, muscular back, and to her delight Gohan groaned into her mouth at her touch. He pulled back from the kiss, panting heavily, and in the darkness his onyx orbs searched hers.

A faint light was coming from the hallway, passing through the ajar door to her bedroom and contouring his handsome features. Videl felt herself blush under Gohan's intense stare, his eyes telling her the words she wouldn't allow him to say. He brushed a few strands away from her face with the tip of his fingers, and Videl closed her eyes again as he pressed his lips to her cheek.

Her heart was aching. His love for her was so tangible, so evident – it was too much for her, too overwhelming, and it was killing her to know how much Gohan was hurting because of it. Keeping her eyes tightly shut, Videl focused on his lips, buried in the crook of her neck, and on his touch, as his hands slid down along her sides, to her waist, her hips. He grabbed the hem of her shirt and proceeded to lift it up slowly; his lips lowered to her stomach and followed the movement of his hands as he kept pushing the clothing further and further up, leaving a trail of slow, electrifying kisses on her skin.

Uncovering her breasts, he dipped his head in between them, leaving the shirt be for the time being, draped over her exposed chest. Videl arched her back and let out a shuddering breath when his mouth wrapped around her nipple and his skillful tongue circled and flicked the erect bud, while he fondled her breasts using both of his hands. She was panting heavily and her body was burning, beads of sweat forming on her forehead. She clenched her jaw, trying to contain the moans of pleasure Gohan was enticing from her.

He buried his face in between her bosoms once more, pushing them together with his hands, and breathed in deeply, as though trying to swallow her scent.

"God, I missed this…" he mumbled, his voice muffled by her skin. "I missed you so freakin' much…"

Her throat tightened, and Videl bit down on her lip, trying to bottle down the swarm of emotions building up inside her at his words. She refrained herself from replying that she, too, had been going crazy from missing him for all those months. She stopped herself from telling how all this time, she had felt so… lifeless and lost, without him – and how now, it was like he was bringing her back to life.

But, most of all, Videl forbade herself from blurting out just how much, how deeply she loved him.

Grabbing his face in between her palms, she brought him up for another kiss, letting the heavenly sensations flood her being as she lost herself in the moment. Gohan slid his hand underneath her, grabbing her buttock, and pushed his pelvis forward, his growing erection pressing harder between her thighs.

"I need you so much," he breathed out desperately, his lips just over hers.

Wrapping her arms around his neck, she kept her eyes tightly shut, trying as she might to block out the new wave of emotions that washed over her at the way his voice broke as he uttered those words.

"Fuck me, Gohan," she whispered breathlessly – perhaps to make it feel less romantic.

He let out a low chuckle, his chest rumbling against her. "I was going to, yeah," he replied in amusement. Pulling back slightly to look at her, his expression then turned serious and a little bit nervous as well. "Do you have any, um… you know…"

She smirked at his bashfulness. "Condoms?" He nodded his head, and she started pushing him back. "Yeah, let me get one."

He moved off of her and sat, cross-legged, on the edge of the mattress, his eyes following her movements as Videl turned over onto her stomach and reached out for her nightside. She opened the top drawer and dug through the stuff inside, feeling for a specific kind of wrapping. But a certain young man had decided that now was the perfect time to plant soft kisses on her lower back, making it hard to focus on her task.

Her hand paused and her breath hitched when he started lowering her underwear, slowly sliding them along her legs until they were off. Lying down behind her, he slipped one hand under her, his palm resting against her lower abdomen, and pulled her to him so that her ass was pressed against his hardened crotch. She moaned as his penis rubbed against her lower lips – he'd had the time to take his pants off, apparently. Moving her hair out of the way, he buried his face in the crook of her neck and emitted a soft mumble of content.

"Can't you let me look for a condom in peace?" she murmured breathlessly, failing to sound annoyed. He pressed himself closer against her back in response, and Videl felt her sanity slipping. He really wasn't making it any easier for her to find a damn condom.

Her lust for him made her more determined to find the damn thing, and her hand, still inside the drawer, resumed the search. Staying focused proved to be a real challenge, however, as Gohan did his best to distract her, working his lips on her neck, running his fingers along her stomach, all the while rubbing his erection between her thighs, his ministrations sending delicious jolts and shivers running all over her body.

At last, her hand closed around the wrapping. Not wasting any time, she tore it open and took out the desired item, then reached down between her legs where Gohan's stiff member was nesting. He stilled his movements when she grabbed him and let out a groan against her neck. Smirking to herself, she reveled in the way Gohan sucked in a breath and the way his body shivered as, despite their inconvenient position, she managed to roll the condom down on his cock, before guiding it to her drenched vulva.

They both groaned in satisfaction when Gohan pushed his pelvis forward, going all the way in. Videl felt her mind shut off completely as Gohan started moving, and intense pleasure took over her being. He panted against her neck, pressing his palm harder on her stomach as he ground his hips against her ass.

"Ahh… Videl…" he breathed into her ear, grazing it with his teeth.

Oh fuck, she was going absolutely _insane_. Had it always been so mind-blowingly _good_? It was too much, too intense, too beautiful – it felt like a dream. Was it a dream? It had to be too good to be true, right?

She moaned in protest when he pulled out, but he silenced her with a kiss as he changed their position so he was lying on top of her. He broke the kiss so he could finally pull her nightshirt over her head, and stared at her intently, towering over her; his hands lowered to her hips and he pushed himself into her tight walls once more. Videl moaned through gritted teeth, wrapping her arms around his muscular back as they moved as one. Gohan let his forehead rest against hers, his thrusts going deep and slow, taking his time savoring the feel of her.

She was melting into him. The pleasure was too strong. She was going to break. Something was happening, something overwhelming and beautiful and intense and scary – and it was going to break her.

He brushed her sticky, sweaty bangs from her face and kissed her temple, her cheek, her lips. Videl felt her eyes well up under her lids with emotion. Gohan was so gentle, he was treating her with so much care… God, she felt so loved. She'd wanted him to fuck her, to pound her senselessly – just mindless, primitive sex – but apparently Gohan had another thing in mind. Instead, he was treasuring her, pouring all of his soul into her – stubbornly making sweet love to her.

She tightened her arms around him, kissing him back passionately.

Shit, she didn't want this night to end.

ooOoo

They lay side by side on the mattress, still trying to catch their breath. After some time, Gohan reached over to grab the cover that had dropped from the bed on the floor at some point, shook it slightly to dust it off, and draped it over their naked, glistening bodies, resuming his previous position next to Videl. She mumbled a quiet "Thanks," while turning onto her side, her back to him. Gohan angled his head slightly to his right to look at her; at her messy, tangled long locks, her firm, creamy shoulders, and her toned, svelte left arm, hugging the comforter around her. His jaw slacked, his eyes clouded over, and his heart clenched.

"Can I hold you?" he asked before he could stop himself. Her shoulders stiffened at his request, but Gohan couldn't help inching closer to her, seeking the warmth of her body. He chewed on the inside of his cheek. "Please?"

"Why?" she muttered under her breath.

"I just…" He sighed softly, and his voice lowered to a whisper, "I'd like to know what it's like to…" He swallowed nervously, conscious of how unreasonable his request was, yet unable to stop himself from continuing, "What it's like to wake up with you in my arms, even if it's only this one time."

He was met with silence, but kept waiting for her permission nonetheless, anxiously staring at the back of her head.

"No."

His heart sank at her rejection, but Gohan would be lying if he said he hadn't anticipated her answer. He smiled sadly in resignation and understanding as he returned his gaze to the ceiling, pinning his hand under his head.

"Yeah, probably not the best idea," he agreed dryly.

His heartbeat was slowing down, his chest heaved in and out at a calmer pace, and as the endorphin rush of climaxing with her rapidly decreased, the idiocy of what they had done was beginning to fully register in his brains. His eyes slid shut; Gohan shifted his hand from under his head to place his arm over his closed lids, and berated himself for giving in when he knew full well that it was only going to make things harder for the both of them. Damn it, he'd already been out the door, and if only he hadn't lingered back; if only he hadn't taken a moment to lean back against the door and try to compose himself, Videl wouldn't have been able to tempt his already weak will.

Why would she do that, for that matter? She had been the one who decided that they shouldn't be together, and he had only been trying to respect her choice. He understood why she didn't want to be with him, he really did, and he even came to agree with her. So why? Was it really just to say goodbye, to indulge themselves in one last night before parting ways?

Lifting his arm from his line of vision, Gohan tilted his head to peer at her again: she was still turned away from him, immobile. His throat tightened as he resisted the urge to close the distance between them and wrap his arms around her, hold her all against him and breath her in, immersing himself in her intoxicating presence. He looked away again and brought his arm back over his eyes, heaving a deep sigh.

Of course, he knew why. He didn't have to dig deep to figure out the obvious. It was for the same reason that he had been going to her fights and watching her from afar; that he had flown back through the torrential rain when he had already been on his way home from tonight's street fights; that he had decided to shut down his brain for a while as he rediscovered every inch and curve of Videl's voluptuous, sumptuous, sublime body and completely lost himself in her.

It was out of their control. It had been unbearable to force himself to stay away from her for all those months – which he hadn't even been able to do properly for that matter – and it had visibly taken a toll on Videl, too. He had no doubt that she felt the same way about him, especially after tonight – she loved him, just like he was absolutely crazy about her – and in the end, they hadn't chosen to stay apart. It was their ruined world and its crappy situation that had decided it for them. Videl was just trying not to get hurt, but at the same time, just like he was to her, she couldn't help being drawn to him.

He sat up, and his abrupt movement caused Videl to turn around and look at him, supporting her weight on her left elbow while her right hand lazily held the blanket to cover her chest. They stayed still for a few moments, but Gohan forced his gaze away from Videl; from her questioning, enchanting eyes, effortlessly luring him in with the way the faint light from the hall reflected on their depths, giving him a glimpse of her damaged yet vibrant soul; from her parted lips, still so tempting and tantalizing, making his chest ache and his mouth dry; from the glistening, captivating skin of her exposed arms, her neckline, her throat, her poorly covered cleavage, and her beautifully toned figure that the blanket outlined… He turned away from all of her, and made a point not to glance back at her, no matter how much he was dying to.

He located his boxers on the floor by the foot of the bed and got up to grab and put them on. "I'm thirsty," he announced curtly, and ordered himself not to look back at her as he walked out of her room.

The beige-ish white of the walls in the hallway were bare, save for a lamp that hung by Videl's bedroom door. Gohan left it ajar behind him and walked past the laundry room and the bathroom, lining up on the other side of the corridor. Coming up to the living room, he continued along and pushed open the door to the kitchen.

His left hand fumbled for a bit along the wall, feeling for the switch; when the lights flickered on, Gohan's eyes swept about the spacious, modern kitchen. The household appliances lined up the wall on his left, attached to the work surface which topped the pale blue cabinets, and, connected to those, was an adjacent bar with a few stools. Unwittingly, his examination lingered at the counter by the sink, facing him, and overlooked by a couple of high cabinets hanging on the wall. Images of his first time with Videl came tumbling out in his head, and his body stood rigid in the doorway.

His heartbeat picked up and his face burned. Gohan swallowed hard. A part of him wished he could forget. That he could stop hurting. Stop remembering just how effortless it was to get along with Videl. How happy he'd been that day, with her – before everything came crashing down and she tore his heart right out of his chest.

Gohan blew a sigh, running his hand through his hair, and went toward the cupboards to look for glasses. Then again, he couldn't imagine his life without loving her, not anymore, and he was glad, despite it all, that he got to meet Videl and give her all of his first times. Those were _his_ memories, and no matter how much they weighed on his ribs and scorched his soul, he would much rather have that over never having experienced the delightful sense of completion that had washed over him when he had been with Videl – however short-lived that was.

He only found provisions in the top cabinets, so he started opening the drawers under the work surface. Cutlery, plates, pots… Ah, there they were. Gohan grabbed two and moved in front of the sink, turning on the tap to fill the tall glasses, one at a time.

Just as he was about to bring the rim to his lips, his movement stilled, picking up the sound of Videl's soft steps coming closer. He leaned back against the counter and sighed, staring down at his still full drink.

"I was about to bring you a glass, you know," he muttered without looking up, his peripheral vision catching a glimpse of her at the door. She was wearing his blue shirt again, and he distractedly wondered which one. "Here," he said, holding out to her, in his spare hand, the second glass of water.

He slowly started drinking from his own, while his right hand was still outstretched, patiently waiting for Videl to take her glassful. He didn't see her features softening as she watched him for a moment, or the small, gentle smile that formed on her lips. But his well-trained, heightened senses did feel the movement in the air when she shook her head slightly and let out a faint chuckle.

"Why do you have to be so sweet?" she muttered in a barely audible voice, more likely for herself than to him.

His cheeks grew a little warm, partially concealed by his drink. Videl stepped closer and took the one he held out to her. He ignored the spark of electricity that tingled in his extremities when her fingers brushed his, turning away from her as he set his empty glass in the sink.

"Thanks," she said, leaning back against the counter to his left, an arm's length away from him. Her being so close was making him nervous.

"You're welcome."

His gaze lifted to the window above the sink. Outside, the rain had stopped for a while now, and Gohan had to ask himself what was stopping him from leaving – well, aside from the fact that deep down he wished he never had to leave Videl's side.

At the far end of the adjacent wall, past the household appliances, there was a last countertop and, on top of it, a microwave. As his eyes stopped on it, Gohan's jaw slackened when he read the time displayed on its thin, rectangular screen – it was nearly five in the morning. Geez, no wonder he felt so exhausted.

"How did you get this one?"

He turned to look at her and blinked several times. "Huh?"

She had her arms crossed below her chest, holding her half-filled glass against her elbow, but she wasn't looking directly at him. A faint frown wrinkled her brow ever so slightly while her blue eyes were fixated on the area between his neck and his left bicep.

"That big scar on your shoulder," she clarified, motioning to it with her head before looking up at him. "How did you get it?"

Something about the way she regarded him – he could see that she was trying to conceal her worry for him, and yet she couldn't stop herself from wanting to know. Gazing back into her earnest, periwinkle eyes, Gohan felt his skin tingle; his fingers itched to reach for her, to tuck her loose, raven tendrils behind her ear – he swallowed, repressing the urge to touch her, yet was still unable to look away.

"You don't want to know," he heard himself say.

Her frown deepened; she laid her glass on the counter behind her and shifted her body around to face him, standing tall. So tiny, yet so imposing. "I can decide what I want or don't want to know on my own, thank you very much."

Ah, and there it was – the fiery, no-nonsense attitude that he adored so much about her. Geez, how ridiculously attracted to this girl could he be? He felt so drawn to her, to her presence, that he didn't even notice he was unconsciously leaning closer towards her.

"They like to use bladed weapons sometimes," he answered honestly, watching her eyes widen slightly. "I barely got out of the way, that time. Still struck my shoulder pretty deeply."

His throat tightened, and he regretted saying anything as pure anguish blemished Videl's beautiful face. She moved closer and reached over, tracing the scar on his shoulder with the tip of her fingers. Her gentle touch made his heart ache; his emotions were a confusing swarm of sorrow, desire, remorse, helplessness – and yet, still, wishfulness. He hadn't stopped hoping, despite the mess that tonight had been. And seeing the love in her eyes so clearly now was only strengthening his belief that one day, for sure, they could be together.

But today was not that day.

He let out a sigh, gently prying her hand off of him. "You would've been better off not knowing," he muttered, turning to face her, his hip leaning against the counter and his left hand resting upon the cooling surface.

She gave him a defiant look – perhaps to try and hide how much she cared. "What about the long one on your torso?" she asked, her gaze lowering to look at it.

Gohan shook his head. "Videl, you don't want to know."

His breath hitched when her touch traced the thick, diagonal scar etched across his chest and stomach. He swallowed hard. She was doing it on purpose – she had to be doing that on purpose, wasn't she? She had to know how the slightest physical contact with her made his skin burn and his heart race like crazy, didn't she? He wouldn't be surprised if she could feel his erratic pulse against her hand.

"Tell me," she whispered. His breathing was deepening.

"It was a…" He paused, trying to ignore her touch and focus so he could come up with a way to explain a Kienzan in terms she would understand. "One of their energy attacks – you know, when they shoot beams out of their hands?" She lifted her head and met his gaze, nodding. "That one was shaped like a big, sharp-edged disk. It would've cut through me if I hadn't managed to dodge it – well, most of it."

Her lips quivered, the tough mask dropping once again as her fear for him became apparent. "You said they don't try to kill you."

"They don't," he maintained. "I wouldn't have been able to dodge at all if they attacked me with the intent to kill. They'd be bored without me."

"Favorite toy, huh," she mumbled bitterly, using his own terms from earlier that night – watching the scars on his chest once more. One in particular especially unnerved her: the messy, irregular lines coming together just above his heart.

Gohan closed his eyes when she touched the scar, uselessly hoping that she wouldn't ask him about it, too.

But, as expected...

"And this one?" she whispered.

"Why do you want to know?" he protested tiredly. He should just leave. What was the point of stalling the inevitable anyway?

"Just because," she muttered in bad faith.

He wished he didn't like the way she touched him so much. He really didn't want to answer that… Videl didn't need to know that 17 had held him down while 18 used some glass shard to cut through his skin, testing how deep she could sink the sharp piece of glass without piercing his heart and killing him.

"I don't want to tell you."

"That bad, huh." Her fingers slid across his pectorals, feeling for the numerous little scars blemishing his sun-tanned skin, and stopped on the irregular dot-like one on his right pectoral – 17 had given him that one, shooting a ray beam through his chest while joking that he'd missed the heart. And his sister had laughed, mocking that he couldn't tell his right from his left.

Gohan bit down on his lip, repressing a sigh of pleasure from her featherlike touch. She was really not making it any easier for him.

"Videl… Don't," he uttered out breathlessly, his eyes shut tightly, his fists clenched.

"Why not? It's not like we haven't already fucked it all up tonight."

He let out a shaky breath, opening his eyes to look into hers. "You're mean," he accused.

She smirked at him, though it felt kind of toned down and resigned. "That's why you should stay away from me."

"That won't do, I kinda like that about you," he cracked a small, sad smile, allowing himself to tuck a few strands behind her ear – she was right, after all: they'd already messed everything up tonight. So a little more or little less...

She let her eyelids slid shut as he cupped her cheek, and Gohan turned off his brain, giving in for just a moment and kissing her lips tenderly. Just one more, he told himself, bringing his spare hand on the small of her back to pull her against him while Videl wrapped her arms around his neck – just one more kiss.

They pulled back, breathless, and as he stared into her eyes, Gohan had to struggle against himself not to dip his head again and kiss her more.

He studied her face, frowning slightly at her sleepy, lethargic gaze staring back at him. Well, it was no wonder that Videl would be so worn out – not only was it around five in the morning, but she'd been fighting tonight – and then _he_ turned up, and they ended up having sex. How she hadn't collapsed in exhaustion already, he had no idea.

"Let's get you to bed," he said in a gentle voice, stroking her cheek. "You're barely keeping awake."

She smiled tiredly. "Yeah, okay."

He picked her up, and Videl let her head rest against his shoulder, snuggling up to him. Carrying her in his arms, Gohan left the kitchen and crossed the hall towards her bedroom, turning off all the lights behind him on his way.

He laid her on the bed, sitting on the edge, and brought the blanket over her. "I should go," he whispered, brushing her hair away from her face – perhaps lingering more than he had to.

When he was about to get up, however, Videl reached out and held him back, touching his hand. He looked back at her. She bit down on her lip.

"Stay…" she murmured. "I don't want to watch you leave."

Gohan smiled sadly, discerning her sleepy, pleading eyes in the darkness of her room. He wished he had the heart to say no, but instead Gohan slipped under the cover with her with barely any hesitation. He liked that she didn't want him to go.

"Can I hold you, then?" he risked asking.

Videl simply laid her head on his chest in response and made herself comfortable, snuggling up to him. Gohan felt something warm envelop his heart as he wrapped his arms around her, his eyes sliding shut, reveling in the feeling of holding the woman he loved.

"Hey, can I ask you to tell me something about you? Anything, really…" Maybe he was pressing his luck, and really he should be letting her sleep instead of asking more questions, but this would be his last chance of learning anything about Videl, and he couldn't help wanting to know more about her – he would think about how much it was going to hurt later.

Videl yawned, and had a moment of thought before replying, "I'm turning twenty next month."

He blinked at the ceiling. _In April?_ "You're a month older than me," he mused out loud.

She chuckled. "'That so."

He loved how random her answer was. Gosh, he loved her so much, he wished he could stay there with her and never have to leave. He wished he could tell her.

He held her a little tighter and whispered, "Goodnight, Videl," pressing his lips to the top of her head.

She only hummed in response, already falling asleep. Gohan closed his eyes and let himself forget, just for a moment, that he would have to go before she woke up, and welcomed the embrace of slumber.

Just for a little bit.

ooOoo

Waking up a few hours later, Gohan hadn't wanted to let go of Videl. He had wished to keep her in his arms for all eternity; to forget about the outside world and just be with her, always. But, he had to wake up from his dream – both literally and figuratively – and he had to accept that it was over.

Well, for now. Once he killed those damn cyborgs, nothing in this world would be able to stop him from being with Videl. But, in the meantime, he had to leave before she woke up.

And so he did. As carefully and quietly as he could, he detached himself from her, got dressed, and took off – though he left something behind for her to find, once she woke up.

He flew home, feeling empty and disillusioned. Doubts started to taint his thoughts – what if he couldn't do it? What if Videl was right, and he was destined to fail and die trying? What if this had truly been the last time he would ever hold Videl?

What if he died tomorrow and never saw her again?

His depressing thoughts kept looming over him as he landed by his front door. Gohan lived in a homestead that he'd built himself, near West City; he'd wanted to test himself, to see if he was capable of it, so that eventually he could help rebuild the world once he defeated the cyborgs. It was roughly built, but Gohan was pretty proud of the result of his work: installing wires and pipes had been tricky.

But he barely took notice of his sturdy, wooden house as he stepped inside, dragging his feet to his bedroom. His surrounding was a blur as he moved one foot in front of the other, walking like a zombie. Feeling like one, too. He barely had a few hours of sleep, and after the emotional rollercoaster that last night had been, he was exhausted both mentally and physically.

He collapsed on his bed, face first, and buried his nose in his pillow, hugging it to himself. He didn't want to move anymore. He didn't feel like doing anything – not even the prospect of getting stronger to get closer to his goal motivated him right now. Ugh, he felt so depressed… He just wanted to be with Videl, damn it – was that so much to ask? He wanted her in his life, and he needed her to give him the strength to surpass the cyborgs.

He was so tired of fighting. Why did it have to be him? Why had the cyborgs spared him and not Vegeta, for instance? Surely the Prince of all Saiyans would have proved to be more than entertaining for them – and then, Trunks wouldn't have had to grow up without knowing his father. Vegeta may have not been the best role model but he wasn't so bad, and it would've been better than no father at all. And surely, if he had survived, Vegeta could've surpassed those damn machines with time – perhaps that was why they spared Gohan and not him. Perhaps he simply did not pose any threat to them at all, whereas Vegeta would have, eventually.

"I'm just a failure," he mumbled into his pillow, his voice coming out muffled.

"Now, now, don't say that, Gohan."

He didn't care to look up from the comfort of his fluffy pillow at the sound of Bulma's voice. He didn't have the strength to be social right now.

"Go away, Bulma. I want to be alone."

But she didn't listen – as one should expect coming from her. Her steps drew closer, and soon she sat on the edge of his bed.

"Is that any way to greet a friend?" she asked in a soft, motherly tone. Gohan's shoulders stiffened when she touched his hair gently. "Trunks came to see you this morning, you know, and he was worried that you weren't home."

Gohan kept silent. Bulma continued to stroke his hair, offering him the comfort he didn't ask for. He wanted to be alone, but, nonetheless, the presence of a friend was somewhat soothing. Well, as long as she didn't ask him to talk about it, he would tolerate her marks of affection.

And she didn't. Bulma simply stayed there, by his side, running her fingers through his hair. Giving him her moral support.

"Aren't you suffocating in that pillow of yours?" she asked, hints of amusement in her voice.

"I'm fine," he mumbled into it.

Though he couldn't see it, Bulma smiled. "You know, I'm almost done with my project. Would you like to know what I've been working on?"

Now _that_ piqued his curiosity – and he actually took his head out of the pillow to look at Bulma. She smirked in triumph.

"What is it?" he couldn't help asking.

Her expression softened. "How about a trade, then? I'll tell you if you tell me what got you so down. How about that?"

Gohan frowned. So much for her not asking him to talk about what happened. He turned away from her and lay on his side. "Forget it," he muttered.

"Aww, don't be like that," Bulma coaxed him, rubbing his back. "It's fine, you don't have to tell me. I can guess what it's about, anyway."

Gohan tensed at that. He hoped she wasn't going to delve deeper into the subject. He _really_ didn't want to talk about what happened – _ever_.

"So, do you want to know what I've been working on?"

He peered at her over his shoulder and narrowed his eyes. "No more questions about me?" he asked for her confirmation, and Bulma nodded, smiling at him. "Alright, then," he said, straightening up to sit cross-legged on the mattress, giving her his attention. "Let's hear it."

Bulma smirked proudly, puffing out her chest. "I've been building a weapon that could help you take those bastards down."

His jaw dropped, and Gohan gawked at the scientific genius. "A… weapon?" he stammered.

"Yep!" grinned Bulma. "It may not be powerful enough to actually kill them, but I think it could do some pretty subsequent damage – and then you'd just need to finish them off while they're weakened."

His mouth remained hanging open, gaping at Bulma. His mind was reeling. _If I could… If it actually worked…_

He wouldn't have to fight anymore… And he could be with Videl.

"Would this actually work?" he questioned, afraid to get his hopes up.

"Did you forget who you're talking to?" she rolled her eyes, smirking in arrogance.

Gohan wanted to believe this to be true. He wanted to hope, and he wanted to trust Bulma's genius. And most of all, he wanted this to work. Yet, his usual optimistic nature had taken a harsh blow since he'd had his heart torn to shreds, and his worrywart side which he took after his mother was prevailing over it. He couldn't help feeling doubtful, despite how much he wanted this to work.

Bulma smiled in reassurance and patted his shoulder. "Hey, it'll be alright, Gohan. Things will get better in time, you'll see."

He had a feeling that she wasn't talking about her invention anymore. Gohan lowered his gaze, heaving a deep sigh.

"I wish I had your confidence, Bulma," he murmured.

She cackled boastfully, her nose raised in the air in a prideful manner. "You can say that again! I _am_ the best, after all."

He cracked a small, wistful smile, still staring at his hands holding his feet. "Yeah," he agreed softly.

Bulma ruffled his hair out of the blue, and Gohan blinked up at her, absentmindedly arranging the mess she just made.

"Cheer up, kiddo!" she chirped. "We're gonna kill those monsters and save the world, so you can be with Videl, now!"

His jaw slackened and his eyes widened. "Wha…?"

So she did figure out what the issue was… Was he that predictable? Bulma offered him a sympathetic smile.

"Yes, Gohan, you're that obvious," she answered his silent question. Her accurate deduction of his train of thoughts was kind of scary. "And besides, nothing, or nobody, has ever affected you so profoundly as Videl had."

Gohan looked down again, still unwilling to share what had transpired between him and Videl last night. It didn't seem to matter to Bulma, however, who just kept going.

"I really think you should just go for it with her, you know," she stated, her voice soft. "You love her, and she loves you, so just say the hell with it and spend the rest of your life with her."

He chewed on his lower lip. "What if the rest of my life ends tomorrow?" he whispered.

"What if it doesn't?"

He frowned. If only it were that easy. "So I should put her through the strain and worry of waiting for me while I risk my life and fight the cyborgs?"

She scoffed. "What, you think she doesn't worry about you anyway?"

He looked up at that, his frown deepening as he watched Bulma carefully. Something about the way she said that… It made him feel like she knew way more than she let on. That she wasn't telling him something.

"How would you know?" he asked dubiously, furrowing his brow.

Bulma sighed tiredly, her shoulders slumping in defeat. "I've met her, Gohan. I met Videl months ago, when you just got to the hospital after that dreadful fight you had against them. She asked me not to tell you."

And again, Gohan gaped at her in disbelief. "You… You've met Videl…?" he breathed hoarsely.

Bulma smiled wistfully. "She was so worried about you after your fight that she had to come and see how you were doing."

He couldn't find his voice, speechless, utterly at a loss. Videl had… He couldn't even form a coherent thought. Only her name kept running over and over through his head.

 _Videl… Videl…_

"So, you see, staying away from her isn't going to ease her worry – if anything," Bulma added as an afterthought, "at least if you went to see her after each fight, she could see for herself that you'll be okay. Whereas with how things are now, all she can do is worry and wonder, and wait until she hears from you again."

Gohan finally closed his mouth and swallowed thickly. Bulma was making a lot of sense… Yet he wasn't sure whether it was just him wishing so hard that she could be right, or if she actually was. But in his troubled, weakened mind, it all made perfect sense. Of course him staying away wouldn't ease her worry. As long as he was still fighting, and as long as it kept being broadcasted to the world, Videl could still follow each and every confrontation he had against the cyborgs.

"But she's trying to move on," he mumbled half-heartedly. "Shouldn't I respect her decision?"

Bulma leaned forward to grab on both of his shoulders, regarding him seriously. "Gohan, listen to me. What you have with Videl is extremely rare, and it could become something so beautiful, like you wouldn't even believe. No matter what happens to you, Gohan, whether you make it or not, she will be grateful that she got to experience something so special, so extraordinary, so live-changing and phenomenal – trust me, _I know_."

His heartbeat was hammering like crazy against his ribs, and Gohan swallowed, Bulma's words resonating in his head over and over again.

He believed her. She knew what she was talking about, after all – losing the two men she had loved on the same day. Yet, in spite of it, she still considered that it had been worth it. Would Videl see it that way, though? If he actually tried to win her over…

His heart jolted in excitement at the mere thought, as though it was coming alive again, as though its broken pieces were starting to mend together. If he could be with Videl… If it was really okay…

And if Bulma's weapon worked… Everything could fall into place. Everything could actually work out – he could save the world, and he could be with the woman he loved.

"Bulma, I… I don't know what to say," he babbled with emotion. All of a sudden, he pulled her to him and hugged her tightly. "Thank you, thank you so much," he whispered hoarsely.

Bulma patted his back in a motherly way, smiling to herself. "You're welcome, kiddo."

The hardest part was still to come, though: the weapon had to work, and most of all, Videl had to see eye to eye with him – and with how stubborn she could be, it was going to be tricky.

But he was hopeful. For the first time in five months, one week, and four days – he actually felt optimistic again.

Yeah, Bulma was definitely the best.

* * *

 _Thank you for your patience. Working on this chapter had been rough, what with struggling with writer's block since November – you have no idea how many times I rewrote the beginning, lol._

 _By the way, as you can see I have added chapter titles to the story. I think they're pretty neat, haha. :P_

 _Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the read! And hopefully, you'll take the time to let me know what you thought in a review. :)_

 _Until next time~_

* * *

 _Shoutout to texaspeach, rockstone5390, TheGodfather93, Sierra Larson, and Mysterious Prophetess for their help and moral support throughout the writing process. Thank you so much, guys! :D I hope I didn't forget anyone, lol. xD_

* * *

 _April 2, 2016_


	7. Beautiful

_[July 29, 2016: I changed the chapter's title. While I liked the other one too, I feel this is more fitting.]_

* * *

 _Chapter Seven: Beautiful_

* * *

Gohan remembered all too well how it had felt, waking up holding Videl in his arms. The memory was imprinted in him, etched onto his skin; her scent was in every breath he took, and every time he closed his eyes her sleeping form was all he could see – even days and weeks after it happened.

That morning, when the sunlight had hit his eyelids and brought him out of his short-lived slumber, and as he slowly blinked the fog out of his head, finding himself still holding Videl close – it had been bittersweet.

But oh, so sweet.

It had felt so special and beautiful and intimate. To see her tiny form snuggling up to him, to wake up holding her against him, feeling her presence all over himself, all around him. Neither of them had shifted much, if at all, after they'd fallen asleep together, and at that moment Gohan hadn't wanted to move, at all. Or ever.

He remembered it all so clearly. How her soft breathing brushed his torso. Her arms around him, her legs tangled with his, her body pressed to his. The way her long hair flowed behind her, her bangs grazing her beautiful face. Her intoxicating scent. The slight wrinkle of her nose. The small pout on her lips, as she slept.

That image was engraved in his memory.

His arms had tightened around her, then. He just _couldn't_ let her go.

It had taken him a while to finally talk himself into getting up and getting ready to leave. Gohan couldn't say exactly how long that had been, but he had noticed that the sun rays weren't directed at the bedroom's window anymore. Seeing as Videl hadn't wanted to watch him leave and could have been waking up at any moment then, Gohan had forced himself to let go – of her, as much as of the idea of them being together anytime soon.

 _If ever,_ he'd thought to himself sourly – but he quickly caught himself. _I can't think like that. Or I'll go crazy without her._ He'd looked down at her again and solemnly swore to do anything in his power to get her back.

But not now.

Slowly, cautiously, Gohan had extricated himself from her hold around him. It had made him smile a little bit when Videl had unconsciously tried to tighten her arms around his torso – as if, just maybe, her subconscious wanted to hold him back. Or maybe he just wished that was it. Probably. Yeah.

But even when he'd finally managed to slide off her grasp, instead of looking for his clothes and getting ready to leave, as he should have, Gohan had just sat there for a while, on the edge of the bed, watching Videl sleep. Careful not to wake her, he had brushed away a few strands of hair from her face, and a small, gentle smile had tugged his lips.

Idly, he had wondered whether it was because he was in love that Videl appeared to him like the most beautiful thing that ever existed in all universes. Surely it was just him, right? As true as that felt to him, it didn't really sound plausible, did it? It made him wonder how other people saw Videl. Gazing at her angelic face then, tenderly stroking her hair, he just couldn't fathom anyone not seeing Videl the way he viewed her.

But then again, he _was_ hopelessly in love. So, yeah. Bias and all.

Once again, it had taken him a while to finally turn away and start getting ready. But even then, Gohan would still keep glancing her way every so often as he got dressed. He had smiled to himself, thinking that he wouldn't have taken Videl for a heavy sleeper. And then his shoulders had slumped, and Gohan had turned away again and let out a deep sigh. If only he could learn more about Videl.

Once he was fully dressed in his orange and blue _gi_ , Gohan had stood by the door of her room and watched Videl sleep some more, unwilling to part from her. But he knew he had to, for her sake. So, with a heavy sigh and even heavier heart, Gohan had dragged his feet through the bedroom door, along the hallway and towards the front door.

His hand was already on the handle when an idea had struck him. He had looked down at himself, then back to the hallway, then at the couch in the living room, and then again at himself – and then on a whim he had rolled down his orange top and taken off the blue shirt underneath while stumbling to the living room. He had sat on the couch and folded the shirt, then stood up and folded the blanket Videl had left for him last night since he had been supposed to sleep on the couch. Once the blanket and the pillow were neatly arranged on the couch, and his equally neatly folded shirt sat on top of them, Gohan had looked around the room as he put his orange top back on. Finding what he had looked for on the shelf above the TV set, he'd walked over to grab the pencil and notepad on it. He'd scribbled something on a page, which he'd torn off and left on top of his folded shirt. Before he could change his mind and realize how bad this idea was, Gohan had walked out the front door. He had looked behind him one last time then, before taking off to the sky.

Bulma had asked him about his missing shirt later that day, when she had been on her way out from her visit. The memory of her sideway smile and quirked eyebrow as she observed him still made him blush slightly.

He wondered how Videl reacted when she found his shirt and the note.

Lost in his thoughts, Gohan blinked a few times as he realized that someone was calling his name. It was night, and he was sitting on the ground by a bonfire, which he was using to roast the wild boar he'd hunted earlier. Flames danced in the blue eyes staring back at him; lilac eyebrows furrowed in concern.

"Oh, hey, Trunks," Gohan greeted faintly, still a little out of it. He rubbed his eyes to clear his mind and added, looking up at Trunks again, "Want to join me for dinner?"

The young boy dug his hands into his pants' pockets and shrugged his shoulders. "I already ate, but I wouldn't mind a bite."

Gohan cracked a smile as Trunks sat on the ground beside him. "I'm sure you wouldn't."

It was nice hanging out with Trunks. Because of his low spirits in the past several months, Gohan hadn't been spending a lot of time with Trunks; he didn't want his young friend to be at the end of his moods, as it had happened a few times in the past. The guilt of leaving his dearest friend aside was still prickling in his chest.

And yet Trunks was smiling back at him and talking to him like usual, still offering him his unconditional friendship and support. There was no resentment or accusation in his eyes whatsoever. That kid was a blessing.

"So that weapon's almost ready, huh," Gohan commented distractedly.

"Mom wants to call it the Eradicator 5000," frowned Trunks, crossing his arms. "But I told her that's too corny!

Gohan snorted laughing, and Trunks smiled slightly. "You're harsh with her. Besides, I kinda like that name too."

"That's cuz' you're both old," Trunks retorted, smirking as he rolled his eyes.

"Hey! I resent that!" Gohan cried out in mock indignation. "And how am I old anyway? I barely just turned twenty!"

"To me you are," Trunks stated with a smug look, leaning back on his hands for support.

Gohan narrowed his eyes at the little brat, a playful glint dancing in their depths. "Smart ass."

Trunks widened his eyes in exaggerated shock. "I'm gonna tell Mom you said the A-word in front of me."

"You're eleven now, you can take it," smirked Gohan, rolling his eyes.

"I'm gonna tell _your_ mom, then."

Gohan was about to retort something, but then he paused and closed his mouth, beads of sweat forming on his temples and forehead. He looked at Trunks with a nervous smile.

"You're not really going to tell my mom, are you?"

They shared a long look. And then both burst out laughing.

Months ago, when he had lain in that hospital bed, broken as much physically as he was mentally; after he'd just made the decision to give up on Videl, he had sincerely believed that he would never smile again, let alone laugh. Eventually, however, time did help ease his suffering, and so did the support of his loved ones. It did not, however, lessen or dim down his love for Videl, and Gohan knew that such a thing was never going to happen.

Like Bulma had put that time, what he had with Videl was extremely rare and too beautiful to give up on. And back then, Gohan had seriously believed that going after Videl, even if it meant going against her wish, was the right decision.

That had been over two months ago. And he still hadn't made a move.

It wasn't for lack of wanting to. No, to be honest, he was dying to. It was all he could think of: to go to her and tell her he'd changed his mind and he just couldn't stay away from her any longer and he loved her and he couldn't give up on her and he wasn't planning to go anywhere until he won her over.

It had been over two months, and it was killing him how much he missed her.

But then, why hadn't he gone to her yet? Gohan knew he should just go for it and damn the consequences, but…

Thinking about all that again caused him to look down at the rocky ground and let out a dejected sigh. How could he do that? How could he go against Videl's wish? Maybe it was working for her. Maybe she was actually getting over him, and him barging into her life once more would only make things harder for her again. And he didn't want that. That was the last thing he wanted. Gohan wanted Videl to be happy, as much as happiness could be possible in their broken world – even if that meant without him. Even if it was killing him not to see her anymore. Even if he was going crazy from missing her and wanting her and loving her with all of his cursed heart.

Even if it meant never seeing her again.

But then, a little voice in his head would whisper, " _But what if she's the same? What if she's hurting as much as me and by staying apart I'm only making it worse?"_

Gohan didn't want to think like that, because he was truly hoping that Videl was doing better. But if, as he suspected, Videl had fallen for him as hard as he'd fallen for her, Gohan couldn't see how she could ever get over him, just like he knew that he would never get over her.

But then, even if, yes, staying apart was indeed only making it worse for the both of them, and even if Bulma was right and Videl was wrong, and even if he did attempt to win Videl over, Gohan knew, deep in his heart, that he would only get rejected. Even if Videl was wrong to push him away, she was so damn stubborn that there was no way she would ever see it his way. There was no way she would want a real relationship with him, not when he was the only warrior capable of ridding the world of the worst humanoid machines humanity had ever seen. She had made it quite clear that she didn't want a life with someone like him. And who could blame her? Who, for that matter, would want to get involved with someone who could get killed at any moment, any day, any time? After losing everyone she'd ever cherished, it was no wonder that Videl was running away from any possible attachment.

That one thought tightened his heart. He hated the thought that Videl had absolutely nobody – she was all alone, always alone, for who knew how long. Nobody was meant to live alone; people needed each other, and Videl was no different. He hated that she had purposely detached herself from human contact. He hated that she'd had to suffer the loss of everyone she'd ever cared about. He hated that she wouldn't let him be there for her.

"Isn't it ready by now?"

Gohan slowly turned his head and looked at Trunks, and then at the roasting boar on the stick.

"Oh. Right." Silence. "You mind getting it?"

Trunks eyed him warily, nodding his head, and got up to get Gohan's dinner. The change of mood was off-putting, but not uncommon with Gohan in the past several months. Ever since Gohan got his heart broken by that girl, to be more precise. Trunks always made sure to never mention her, as his mother had advised, but he'd learned to recognize when Gohan was thinking about her. He would always get that lost puppy expression, and it broke the boy's heart to see his best friend in that state. More than anything, Trunks wished he could help him in any way, and he hoped, he really hoped that his companionship was easing Gohan's heartache.

Although, to be honest, he'd also been dying to ask Gohan about that girl – he couldn't remember her name. He was dying to know what kind of person she was, and why Gohan seemed to love her so much, even after how she'd hurt him so awfully.

"Here," he said, planting the stick on the ground in front of Gohan, the boar's roasted skin crackling in the cool evening breeze.

"Thanks, Trunks," Gohan replied with a half-hearted smile. "Let's eat up."

It gave his heart a painful pang to see Gohan like this, his eyes so sad even when he tried to smile. It was hard to believe that only a moment ago they were laughing to tears.

As he sat down and watched Gohan eat slowly, Trunks decided to just go for it and hope for the best.

"You were thinking about her again, weren't you?"

Gohan paused, but didn't look at him. He swallowed his mouthful but said nothing. His eyes were lost in thoughts again. Trunks heaved a sigh.

"Mom said not to mention her again… Sorry, I should've kept my mouth shut." His shoulders slumped.

Gohan cracked a sad yet incredibly warm smile as he turned to look at him. "It's okay, Trunks, you didn't do anything wrong. You got it right anyway."

He swallowed, looking down. "Oh."

"Didn't you want a bite?"

"No thanks. Don't really feel like eating right now."

"That's never a good sign."

The slight hint of amusement in Gohan's tone made him look up, and Trunks was met with that heartwrenching warm smile again. He felt like he could cry.

"Does it hurt that much?" he blurted out, and regretted it the moment the words escaped his mouth. He looked away. "Sorry, never mind."

"I hope you never get to find out."

Trunks closed his eyes tightly. It was so unfair. He hated that Gohan was in so much pain. Wasn't there enough tragedy in the world as it was? Did he really have to get his heart torn to pieces, too? Sometimes Trunks wished he could give that girl a piece of his mind. How dared she hurt the kindest person on Earth?

"Hey, hey, stop with that face. I'm better now, you know? And I'll keep getting better, so don't worry alright?"

He looked at Gohan, his throat tight with tears he refused to show. That smile again. It hurt so much to look at it.

"Why her?" he found himself asking. Anyone else would've died to be with the man who bravely fought to save the world. Why did Gohan have to fall for the one girl who didn't?

"Heh, how the hell should I know?" he chuckled. His eyes twinkled in that peculiar way then, and Trunks knew Gohan was thinking about her again, most likely about all the little things he liked about her. "She's just that awesome."

"But she hurt you so much," he said with a hint of accusation in his voice.

"Yeah. Love doesn't make any sense, does it?" Gohan added, cracking a smile.

"Tell me about it," he agreed, slumping his shoulders.

Gohan resumed eating, and they stayed silent while Trunks reflected on what Gohan had said.

"What's she like?" he couldn't help asking, too curious to stop himself.

A wistful smile formed on the young man's lips. He stopped eating, wiped himself and looked up at the star-filled sky.

"I've never met anyone like Videl," he started saying.

 _Right, Videl! That's her name!_ Trunks remembered distractedly.

"She's a fighter, did you know that? And a damn good one at that, too. And she's so beautiful and cute and kind, even though she tries to hide it. And she's so badass, not to mention a hothead – she might be even more stubborn than my mom."

Trunks laughed before he could stop himself. "No way!"

Gohan smiled, a real smile, and at that moment Trunks was glad he'd asked him about Videl.

"She really is," chuckled Gohan.

And then his eyes softened, and Trunks found himself speechless. It was the first time he'd ever seen such a gentle and… unique expression on Gohan.

"And I love her so much."

Trunks kept staring at his older friend, and for some reason, his heart felt just the slightest bit lighter. Gohan offered him a kind smile.

"You know, it feels good to talk to someone about her. Thanks for listening, Squirt."

Gohan ruffled his hair, and Trunks beamed.

ooOoo

Videl closed her eyes, letting the stream of hot water wash the shampoo off her hair and unknot her sore muscles.

She hadn't felt like going to the underground fight clubs as much these past few weeks. With Gohan and his weird ability to sense when she was fighting, the risk of another encounter with him had been holding her back. But, even though she'd moved again as well, to be on the safe side, Videl still kept training – she couldn't possibly stop fighting altogether. So it probably didn't make much of a difference in the end. Although, she also made sure not to train at home, just in case. Yet, so far, it looked like Gohan was staying away this time, so maybe she was worrying too much.

But Videl knew that seeing Gohan again might break her already weakened resolves, and she could not let that happen.

She'd been training today, but she missed fighting. She missed clashing with fighters and testing her skill against theirs. She missed the rush of adrenaline that came with beating the crap out of someone. She missed the swell of pride as she came out the winner and the audience acclaimed her.

Videl sighed, rubbing her sore neck. Fighting was her only escape from reality, and now she didn't even have that anymore. But could she risk running into Gohan again? Could she risk falling under his charm yet again, turning into a helpless puddle of goo when he touched her and kissed her and held her close against him? Could she really risk putting her heart through that all over again?

Heaving another deep sigh, Videl turned off the water, pushed the curtains aside and stepped out of the bathtub onto the mat. She turned to look at herself in the mirror above the sink, frowning at the sight of the dark circles under her eyes.

It had been over two months since that last, magical night with Gohan, and still, unsurprisingly, her feelings stayed unchanged. She was losing sleep thinking about him all night, every night, and as a result she felt constantly tired. At least fighting would reinvigorate her and make her forget for a little while, but now she didn't even have that. Training just wasn't the same.

And damn it, she just felt like bashing someone's head in. And now she couldn't even do that?

Well, screw it. Screw everything, and most of all screw Gohan. She had been itching for a good fight and she wasn't going to let the tiny probability of him showing up ruin it for her.

ooOoo

"That was some good boar," sighed the younger boy, patting his stomach. He and Gohan were lying on the grass and looking at the night sky through the leaves of the high trees surrounding them, reveling in the feeling of a full stomach after an excellent dinner.

"Sure was."

They lay there in comfortable silence for a while, enjoying the tranquility and the nice company. The sky was filled with countless twinkling stars, and the beauty of the sight felt relaxing and peaceful. Gohan smiled to himself. Even in hard times, the sky would always be beautiful; the sun would always rise every morning, and the moon and the stars would always shine brightly every night. And it would always be there to bring him the comfort he needed, that breathtaking sky.

Something tickled in the back of his mind, and as he realized what it meant, Gohan tried to push the feeling away – to no avail. He sat up, cross-legged, and heaved a deep sigh.

"What's wrong?" asked Trunks, using his elbows for support as he watched him with worry.

Gohan started to say, "Nothing," but then he smiled to himself. Talking to Trunks had turned out to be quite relieving tonight, so why not tell him about that too?

He pointed in a particular direction and told Trunks to feel for blazing life forces. "Can you feel them fighting?" he asked.

Trunks sat up, and his face scrunched up in concentration. Soon enough, he nodded his head. "Yeah… I think I do. There are a lot of wild _kis_ around the pair that's fighting, too. It's like… They're excited?" Trunks' frown deepened. "I don't get it…"

"People around the world get into clandestine street fights," explained Gohan. "Basically, they fight their frustration out and gamble on it."

"Oh." Then a flash of confusion crossed Trunks' young features. "What about it?"

Gohan cracked a smile. "You feel the strongest of the two fighting?"

"Yeah. So?" Trunks asked, more confused than ever.

"That's Videl's _ki_."

His blue eyes widened and Trunks gaped at his friend. Gohan chuckled. The younger fighter blinked out of his initial shock and turned in the direction of the group of wild _kis_ once more, pinpointing the one that belonged to the girl Gohan loved so much.

"So that's Videl, huh."

"That's her," Gohan confirmed with a small, wistful smile on his lips.

"She's really strong for a human."

"Told ya'."

Silence followed, but soon enough Trunks turned to his best friend and smirked at him. "So you've got a thing for strong girls, huh?"

Gohan's face flared up like the sun. "Shut up."

ooOoo

A content, satisfied smile was plastered on her face as Videl dragged her feet through the front door. She was exhausted and sore after tonight's fights but damn did she need that. She was all burnt out now and was all ready to go to bed, and she knew she would have no trouble falling into a deep, much-needed sleep.

Ah, what would she have done if it weren't for fighting? Geez, now that was a scary thought. God bless martial arts. She would've probably gone insane a long time ago if it weren't for her love of fighting.

And she kicked ass. Tonight's fights were no different, and as usual she came out on top. It wasn't to say that her opponents were no match for her; no, they all put up a great fight – and that had been just what she needed.

Videl got in the bathroom and took a quick shower, eager to go to sleep. Washing all of her hair always took a while though, and sometimes Videl wondered if she should chop it all off – or at least, most of it. In the end, more out of laziness than anything, she would just shrug her shoulders and simply trim her bangs so that they didn't get in her eyes.

Although, the deeper reason was really that she liked how long hair looked on her, and Videl enjoyed taking care of it. She may consider herself a tomboy, but that didn't mean she wasn't a girl; Videl just didn't like to acknowledge it most of the time. For that matter, she'd always wished she'd been born a boy instead. She sure could've done without the monthly menstrual cramps, for one thing.

Stepping out of the bathtub for the second time that night, Videl didn't lose time drying herself up with the towel and then wrapped it around her, walking barefoot to her bedroom.

Opening her closet, Videl took out some underwear along with a certain blue shirt. As she walked towards her bed carrying her sleepwear, Videl removed the towel from around herself and rubbed it vigorously on her long, wet strands of hair, before wrapping it around her head. She then proceeded to put on the underwear, following by the baggy blue shirt. The collar was wide enough for her towel-wrapped head to pass through; Videl gently arranged the shirt on her body, letting the fabric caress her skin, going down her mid-thighs. And then she sat down on the bed and hugged herself, taking in a deep breath.

And pictured to herself breathing in Gohan's unique, intoxicating scent.

That stupid dork.

She'd stood stunned by her couch, that morning, staring at the neatly folded blanket and the pillow arranged nicely on top of it, and more importantly, at the equally neatly folded blue shirt and the small note Gohan had left behind for her to find.

 _"_ _I thought you might like to have another one,"_ the note said. _"_ _It looks better on you anyway."_

That stupid, lovable dork.

Damn it. Why couldn't she be over him already? At this rate, she was never going to be able to move on, and if staying away from Gohan didn't even work, how was she ever going to be able to stay sane when he… when he…

Videl swallowed the tears gathering in her throat. Shit, just thinking of it actually happening... Ugh, she missed him so much. She wanted to be with him.

When she realized that Gohan had kept his words and wouldn't be showing up tonight at the street fights, it wasn't relief that had washed over her: it was disappointment and regret. She'd tried to dispel those thoughts but deep down, Videl knew what her heart truly desired. Deep down, all she'd wanted tonight was for Gohan to appear before her and then she would've jumped in his arms and held him tight and never let go.

But he didn't show. Gohan was a man of his word, after all.

God, how she missed that man. That beautiful, silly, adorable, awkward goof. God, how she loved him. Videl shut her eyes tightly, lying down on the mattress and hugging herself tighter, wishing it could be his arms holding her close.

Why couldn't he have been a dick? It would've been so much easier to get over Gohan if he wasn't so damn sweet and lovable. Damn that cute dork.

Heaving a deep, dejected sigh, Videl slid under the blanket and reached over to turn off the lamp on her nightstand.

At least she got to let out some steam tonight. She did feel much better after venting out her frustration on her unfortunate opponents of the night.

And Gohan… Surely she would get over him soon enough, right? Yeah. It was still too fresh after all; it'd only been a couple months since their last night together, so she'd been needing to mend her broken heart all over again since then. Yeah. She just needed more time. Surely, she'd be able to move on soon enough. Surely, it wasn't going to hurt as much anymore in time.

Closing her eyes, the young woman let herself think of that last night with the man she loved. She licked her lips as she thoughts of his kisses, and she recalled how he kept whispering to her how he'd missed her, how he needed her, how beautiful she was… and as he made sweet, sweet love to her, how she'd died to blurt out how helplessly in love she was with him.

And his eyes… His transparent eyes, screaming how much he loved her when his tongue wasn't allowed to word it.

God, could that night have been any more perfect?

Still, despite how much she burned to be with him and let her love for him explode, and despite how she missed him like crazy, Videl let herself smile wistfully. She was glad, in the end, to have those memories of Gohan. It may hurt to think of him and wonder what could have been, but at the same time, all those little moments with him always managed to bring a smile to her face, no matter how bittersweet it felt. Thinking of him tightened her heart in regret and sorrow and guilt, but at the same time, she loved to picture his smile in her head, and she loved to recall his unrestrained laugh, or his playful, mirthful eyes. Those memories always made her heart fill up with warm and fuzzy feelings – even if, at the same time, it would clench and ache at the thought that she would never get to see those kind, beautiful eyes again.

Sinking deeper under her blanket, Videl let out a deep sigh – unsure if it was a sigh of longing, regret, fatigue, helplessness, adoration, or hope. Probably all of the above. Yeah.

ooOoo

Truth be told, Trunks hadn't hesitated much before making up his mind. He blamed his mother for passing on to him her misplaced curiosity, and he was planning on using his young age if he ever needed to explain himself.

But he was too curious about Videl to pass up the opportunity to see what she was like. He could blame Gohan, too, for showing him what her blazing _ki_ felt like.

Following his keen senses, Trunks found himself in an abandoned, dirty, and barely lit subway station. The audience cheered loudly, standing on the platforms on either side of the rails, on which two fighters were going at it with everything they got.

Videl was one of the runner-ups, he recognized her _ki_ signature, but he was still too far away to see her, especially with all that crowd surrounding the fighting pair.

His heart was hammering as he got closer, carefully pushing his way through the mass of people who barely paid him any mind, too riveted by the ongoing fight. A rush of excitement coursed through him as he slipped through the last pair of guys that stood in the way of the current form of entertainment. His eyes stopped on the woman.

Her heavily heeled boot crushed her opponent's face, and the man landed roughly on the wall lining up the train tracks. But he shook his head swiftly and was back in his fighting stance not a moment later, and the two fighters clashed forces again with a brutality and rawness Trunks did not expect.

Humans were unexpected beings, that was for sure.

He watched the female runner-up intently, and couldn't help feeling a kind of kinship toward her. He didn't want to like her, but with the stubborn way her eyes narrowed in concentration and the skillful way she delivered every hit and parried every attack, Trunks couldn't help the surge of admiration for this tiny thing of a girl. She was particularly talented, that was for sure.

Trunks figured she was pretty, too. But he was more impressed by her skills, especially considering she had never had proper _ki_ training, than her looks.

A precise punch to the gut and the man fell on his knees, his mouth wide open in a silent scream of pain, the air knocked out of him. Videl didn't give him a chance to recover and ended the fight with a well-placed kick across his jaw, effectively knocking him out. She stood tall as she caught her breath, her fists still tightly closed, watching the man who lay unconscious on the rails.

The crowd went wild. The ruckus was deafening, and Trunks actually put his hands over his ears in an attempt to dim it down somewhat.

But then he forgot to breathe for a brief moment: Videl had made eye contact with him.

He quickly scrambled away, pushing through the crowd as he tried to get away from this place as fast as possible. The thought of just blasting off crossed his mind, but then surely Videl would know for certain who he was, or at least that he knew Gohan. She might even figure out he was the boy who sometimes faced the cyborgs alongside Gohan – his friend did tell him she was clever.

"Hey, watch it, kid! Oww…"

Trunks stopped in his tracks and his eyes widened in horror. In his haste to get away, he'd pushed a girl a little too roughly and she'd fallen on her behind.

"I'm so sorry!" he exclaimed, rushing to help her up.

"What's a kid like you even doing here?" some lanky man asked, eying him suspiciously.

Uh-oh. He was starting to draw too much attention. This was bad.

And then Trunks froze, his whole body turning into a big block of ice.

"You shouldn't be in a place like this."

Even without knowing what her voice sounded like, and even before identifying her energy signature, Trunks knew Videl was right behind him.

And somehow, he had a feeling she knew _exactly_ who he was. Damn it, Gohan had been right – she really was too cunning.

He'd considered making a run for it, but in the end his curiosity won over the dread and panic – he was just too curious to actually meet the girl whom Gohan loved so ridiculously much. So, slowly, the young Saiyan boy turned around to face his possible doom.

Her blue eyes struck him for a moment, and in that moment Trunks felt like he sort of understood why Gohan was so taken with that girl. More than her looks, which he had to admit were far from unpleasant, there was something about the way she held herself and the way she looked at you that just made you feel drawn to her.

"I like how you fight," he blurted out faintly.

He only realized how quiet the subway station had become because of him when everyone around them suddenly guffawed in extremely loud laughter. Someone hit him on the back playfully. "Hey, the kid's got good tastes at least!"

Trunks cracked an awkward smile, looking up at Videl, while she studied him attentively, not the least bit amused by his comment unlike the crowd around them who didn't seem to be able to calm down, laughing their hearts out.

But then she turned on her heels, her long twintails flowing in the air with grace as they followed her movement. She walked up to some man in particular and told him something, to which he suddenly cleared his throat and announced that the night was far from over and even more exciting fights were coming up. And just like that, the general attention shifted, as the next challenger showed up and everyone started placing bets on the outcome of the upcoming fight. Some people glanced at him and grinned or winked at him, visibly amused by his presence at the street fighting club.

And Trunks wondered if it would be okay to stay and watch the fights some more.

"So you're a big fan of the Devil too, huh?" a young voice chatted excitedly. Trunks turned to his left, and blinked as he found himself facing the teenage girl he'd pushed a little too harshly earlier.

"I… guess?" he replied uncertainly, wondering how the heck the Devil had anything to do with – _anything_.

The girl's eyes lit up, and a wide, excited grin spread out across her face. "She's amazing, isn't she? I've been following her fights for a while you know, which isn't easy since she's always moving from town to town."

Trunks stared at the girl blankly. It sounded like she was talking about Videl. But then why on earth did she call her "the Devil"?

The answer came to him the next moment: the man who Videl had talked to and seemed to be in charge of these street fight meetings announced the beginning of the next fight, which opposed the Devil and Iron Fist.

"It's starting!" the girl squealed in delight. "Go, Devil! You're the best!"

Huh. So they used stage names? That sure made a lot more sense now.

"Isn't she the BEST?" the girl screamed over the deafening cheers from everyone else around them. "Yeah! Take that! Yeah! You show him, Devil!"

Trunks found himself staring at the girl instead of the ongoing fight, which, given his vertical disadvantage, he couldn't see anyway. She had bright pink hair and dark skin, and she wore an outfit similar to Videl's: a tank top tucked in loose fighting pants, those tucked in knee-length boots with platform heels. That girl sure was a big fan of Videl's, huh. She even styled her hair into pigtails, despite it being only shoulder length.

She looked only a few years older than him, and Trunks frowned slightly at how unjust it was that no one seemed to bat an eye that a teenage girl was attending these brutal street fight meetings, but he, who wasn't that much younger than her, drew so much attention to himself that the whole place had grown quiet for a moment. Tch. If they had any idea of who he was, of what he'd seen and been through in his life… They had no idea how _used_ he was to that kind of violence. Their little fights were nothing to him – and _he_ could wipe the floor with each and every one of them with his arms and legs tied down and his eyes covered, for that matter.

Tch.

ooOoo

"Come on, we're gonna grab a bite together! Come with us!"

The overly excited fan of Videl had stuck with him all night, and she didn't seem ready to let go of him anytime soon.

"What are you doing with a kid, Shay?" mocked a tall teenage guy, leaning casually against the wall of the subway hallway while smoking a cigarette. Trunks rolled his eyes. He was trying way too hard to look cool, with his leather jacket and torn jeans and gelled-up spiky black hair.

"Yeah, just leave the kid be and come already, I'm starving," complained another girl; this one had frizzy blonde hair and wore a fitting pink dress, a denim jacket and laced-up ankle boots.

There were two other guys in their group, but they both didn't seem to care whether he was joining them "to grab a bite" or not. They didn't seem to care about anything that was happening around them, to be honest. They were both about the same height and slightly shorter than the cool wanna-be; one had curly light brown hair and the other's was dark blue. The brown haired guy wore a T-shirt with some music band logo on it, a pair of torn jeans and simple sneakers, and the dark blue haired teen sported a gray hooded sweater with the Capsule Corp. logo on it, and, too, a pair of jeans and sneakers.

The brown haired guy shot him a bored look before his eyes unfocused again and he seemed lost in his own world again.

"You're coming, right? We can chat about the Devil while we eat. It's gonna be lots of fun!" the pink haired girl piped up.

Shrugging, Trunks figured he might as well. Sure, his mother may have noticed by now that he wasn't sleeping in his bed and might be worried sick about him, but on another hand he sometimes got up in the middle of the night to clear his mind with a late training session, so Bulma might conclude that that's what he'd gone to do. He sure hoped so. Better yet: he hoped his mom was still sound asleep and had no idea he'd snuck out.

Besides, he was curious as to what he could learn about Videl from those fans of hers. This was certainly going to be interesting.

ooOoo

Bulma let out a deep sigh, rubbing her thumbs distractedly on the ceramic of her cup of coffee.

"Trunks has been sneaking out at night? Seriously?" Gohan repeated as he sat down in front of her at the table, disbelief lacing his voice.

She'd come to see him at his place, knowing he was usually home and up at the early hours of the morning, and they were sitting at his tiny, square dinner table in the living area, which reunited both the sitting room and the kitchen.

This thing with Trunks had been going on for over a week, and Bulma did not know what to make of it. She'd tried confronting her son about it, but he would just shrug his shoulders in insolent nonchalance and say he just felt like training some more. And it drove her crazy because she _knew_ he was lying but had no way whatsoever of proving it.

She was out of ideas at this point, and considering her genius, that was saying something.

So, naturally, she had decided to turn to the closest person Trunks had beside her. Surely Gohan would be able to help her with her disrespectful son. Wasn't it too soon for him to go on his rebel phase anyway? Chichi sure had been lucky with Gohan, who had always been kind and polite and considerate, and he would _never_ have snuck out in the middle of the night to do God knows what God knows where and with God knows whom, without any consideration of how worried his mother would be.

"That doesn't sound like him," frowned Gohan, staring at his own ceramic cup in confusion. "Are you _positive_ he's really not just out training?" he asked, looking up at her in all seriousness.

"Yes. He's been lying to me and it's making me furious," she huffed indignantly.

"Okay." Gohan watched some random spot on his hand-made wooden table as his mind seemed to think intensively. "Okay," he said again. "Then I'll just keep tabs on him at nights. I'll have no problem telling you whether he's actually been training at night."

Her eyes sparkled with relief and Bulma held Gohan's rough hand with both of hers, looking at him gratefully. "Oh, that'd be great, Gohan. I knew I could count on you."

"Sure thing," he said, cracking a smile. "You got me worried about him, too. I really hope he's just been training."

Bulma huffed again and crossed her arms, leaning back in her seat. "Tch. Don't get your hopes up. I know my son – he takes _way_ too much after me."

Gohan chuckled, shaking his head in amusement.

"By the way, haven't you gone to see Videl yet?"

The sudden change of subject, and the subject in question for that matter, caused Gohan to freeze in his tracks. He smiled awkwardly and scratched his hair. "Err…"

Bulma's eyes widened. "What, for real? You haven't seen her since that time? Like _at all_? What are you waiting for! Geez!" She threw up her arms in hopelessness.

"Well, um… it's, it's complicated…" he attempted weakly.

"No it's not!" Bulma retorted heatedly, glaring daggers at him. "You love her and she loves you so get off your lazy ass and go tell her already! Geez, this is pissing me off!"

"Uhh…"

Her, um, _passion_ on the topic, while coming from a good sentiment, confused Gohan. Why was Bulma so adamant on getting him and Videl together? It wasn't like she had anything to gain from that after all. Sure, he knew Bulma cared about him and wanted him to be happy, but really, wasn't she reacting a little bit too strongly about it? It _was_ his life, after all, and while he valued her opinion, well… it was _his_ life.

"Are you taking out your frustration about Trunks on me?" he asked, genuinely concerned.

"No! I'm frustrated because you two hotheads are throwing away something incredible and it pisses me off!"

"Oh. Okay."

Well. She had a point.

"What did you think of her?" he asked suddenly. His inquiry was so out of the blue that Bulma seemed to calm down instantly, staring at him blankly. "I mean, when you met her. What kind of impression did she leave on you?"

Thrown off balance, Bulma blabbered slightly before refocusing her thought process; her eyes averted to the side as she reflected on his question, and Gohan awaited her answer anxiously. He'd been wondering about it ever since Bulma told him she'd met Videl, and it'd been nagging at the back of his mind since then. But that morning, when she told him, he'd been too confused and stunned and befuddled by everything that was happening to ask her, and since then he hadn't seen Bulma again until today. Yeah, he wasn't very good at keeping in touch with his close ones. He should probably work on that.

"She reminded me a bit of Vegeta," Bulma said honestly, looking back at him. "Rather, of when I started to develop feelings for him."

Gohan raised his eyebrows. Now that was unexpected. But, now that he thought about it, Videl was indeed a bit similar to the proud Saiyan prince. She was stubborn and proud, too, for starter, and her fighting spirits certainly rivaled Vegeta's.

"You know…" Bulma continued with an embarrassed smile. "I… kinda… made her cry."

Gohan's eyes hardened, his lips drawing a thin line. "You… what?" he breathed through gritted teeth.

"Well I was mad at her!" she defended hastily. "She hurt you so much, and you almost got yourself killed because of her!"

"So you made her cry?" he accused, crossing his arms, his shoulders tensed. "Do you have any idea how much she _already_ cried when she broke it off with me? Do you have the slightest idea how much it hurt _her_ to push me away when she obviously wanted the exact same thing I did and stay with me forever? Do you?"

His voice was rising, and Gohan sucked in a deep breath to try and calm himself down. Shit. It was bad enough that _he_ had made Videl cry, but even Bulma? What the hell.

"I know I shouldn't have and I'm sorry," Bulma said quietly, looking down at her cup of coffee. "And I regretted it instantly, you know. But that's when she reminded me of Vegeta." Gohan's expression turned into one of curiosity at that, although he was still very much upset. "The way she was trying so hard to be strong." Bulma looked up at him and smiled kindly. "She really is beautiful, you know, and I don't just mean her looks. I get why you fell so hard for her."

That did the trick, and all resentment Gohan was feeling vanished at those words. His shoulders slumped in defeat. "Yeah. I never stood a chance, did I?"

Bulma chuckled. "We never do."

They shared a smile, and Bulma reached over to touch his hand. "You have to fight for her, Gohan. You know that, right?"

Doubt and fear crossed his eyes, and Bulma offered him a smile of encouragement. "But…"

"What is it?" she questioned softly. "Why are you still on the fence about it? I thought I'd already convinced you to go win her back."

"It… It's just…" He heaved a sigh. "She's never gonna go for it. You've met her, you saw how stubborn she is. She thinks she's right to reject me and she's never gonna change her mind."

Bulma rubbed her thumb over the back of his hand. "I get it. You don't want to get rejected over and over and over… right?" Gohan nodded his head. "So are you giving up?"

"I don't want to…"

"Then don't. Fight for her, Gohan. It'll be worth it. She's worth it."

"Yeah, I know."

"Then what are you waiting for?"

Gohan let out a deep sigh again. "I promised her I'd leave her be. I would be going against her wish."

Bulma chuckled and leaned back in her chair. "You know you're just making up excuses not to go to her, don't you?"

Gohan frowned. "It's not an excuse. We've already said goodbye – more than once, for that matter, and I'm tired of putting my heart through that over and over again."

"Isn't the solution obvious, then?" Bulma smiled, raising an eyebrow at him. "Never say goodbye again. Just _be_ with her, Gohan. Be _happy_ , Gohan; you deserve it. More than anyone, you deserve to be happy, and Videl makes you happy."

He swallowed. He was running out of reasons not to dive in and try to win Videl over. Were they really just excuses in the end?

"She really does," he whispered, looking down at his hands, still holding the ceramic cup. "She really does…"

ooOoo

Trunks smirked. Damn, Videl sure was good. She had so much potential, and it made him wonder just how much stronger she could become with proper _ki_ training.

It kinda made him want to train her. Too bad he couldn't.

He and his new friends had been meeting at the random clandestine fight club spots to follow Videl's fights – or should he say "the Devil"? Videl was an amazing fighter, and she was all the more impressive as she was still very young and, from what he'd heard, pretty much self-taught. The more he heard about her from her biggest fan, also known as Shay, the more Trunks found himself intrigued.

He really wanted to hate her for what she did to Gohan, but that was proving to be harder and harder. And he hadn't even met the girl.

But instead, he had become one of her fans somehow.

Gohan was right. Videl was just that awesome.

Another challenger was down, and Videl smirked down at the fallen fighter as she caught her breath. She wiped the sweat from her forehead with the back of her gloved hand, and then the guy in charge came up and said they were going to take a break while sorting out the next fights.

"Man, Devil's so awesome," the frizzy blonde, Delia, sighed dreamily, following Videl with her eyes as the female fighter found herself a bench and sat down.

They were in an underground parking lot this time. The locations of those clandestine meetings never seemed to be the same from one night to another. Trunks didn't really see the point of doing that but he didn't really care either. He and his new friends were hanging out on the staircase of the parking lot, where they had a good view of the fights but weren't getting shoved around in the middle of the wild crowd. It'd been Trunks idea to watch the fights there, and he was pretty proud of the impression he made on the guys despite being three to four years younger than them.

"And she's so hot," grinned the "cool wanna-be", as Trunks liked to call him in his head, who was shamelessly looking Videl up and down. Trunks smirked to himself, picturing Gohan's reaction if he knew Fye was devouring Videl with such lecherous eyes.

"Yeah," agreed the dark blue haired teen, Meyers, his gaze lingering on Videl's fitting tank top, and more precisely, on her big breasts. "Too bad we're too young for her."

"Like she'd be interested even if you were her age," Trunks couldn't help jeering, rolling his eyes at the hormonal teenage boys. He wondered if _he_ was going to be that hopeless when he got their age. He sure hoped not.

"True," chuckled Fye, lighting a cigarette. Trunks rolled his eyes, but he couldn't help grinning. Fye may be a cool wanna-be, but he was a pretty funny one.

Gordon, the brown haired guy, and the most silent of the group, simply shrugged his shoulders and continued watching Videl, obviously also very much interested in her assets.

Shay hadn't stopped jumping up and down ever since Videl had won again, leaning over the railing, her short pigtails swaying along with her excited skipping. "Ahhh, she's so perfect! I wish she could teach me!"

"Teach you what? How to fight, or how to be hot?" smirked Fye, and Trunks snorted in laughter along with the others.

Shay just shrugged. "I want to be like her, she's like, my hero. She's so strong and brave and talented, and you know, you can feel she's a good person too, even when she glares at her opponents."

"That's true…" Trunks said quietly. Damn, it would be so much easier if he could just hate Videl.

"I'm gonna bet on her this time," Meyers said decidedly.

"Give it up," Gordon shrugged.

"Yeah, they don't let underage kids gamble," continued Delia. "We're not even supposed to be allowed in here."

"And they'd stop us how?" Trunks smirked confidently. Fye suddenly ruffled his lilac hair, and Trunks let out a "Hey! Watch it!"

"You're way too tiny to be that smug, kid," he grinned.

"I'd have to agree."

Trunks' blood ran cold. The energy signature behind him, which had been carefully concealed until now, was now vibrant with anger. He swallowed thickly, sweat dripping down his forehead and temples.

"Oh shit."

"And you swear now to top it off?"

Slowly, dreadfully, reluctantly, Trunks got up from the step he'd been sitting on and turned around, coming face to face with Gohan. A very very mad Gohan. That was never a good sign. Shit, shit, shit, shit. He was in so deep. This was the worst. Shit.

"Oh, my God! I remember you!" Shay suddenly jumped in front of Gohan and held his hand with both of hers, her eyes sparkling with adoration. "You're the only one who ever beat the Devil! You were so cool! I couldn't believe she actually lost, but you were like, so fucking amazing, I'd never seen anything like that. Majunior, right?"

Gohan was caught completely off guard by the strange pink haired girl with the scaringly perfect memory. "Wha…?"

"I saw you go after her after the fights, too!" she piped up happily. "I always wondered if anything happened! You two would make, like, such a fab power couple – like, literally!"

Fye snorted laughing at Gohan's completely lost expression. "Geez, who's that guy? One second he looked ready to commit murder and now he's like a little kid. Pffrrr…."

Gohan frowned at Fye, and Trunks mentally cursed the stupid cool wanna-be for reminding Gohan about him. Fye gaped at the orange and blue clad man, however, when he swiftly took away the cigarette from his mouth and crushed it in his fist. "You shouldn't smoke at your age. Or ever."

"What. The. Hell," Fye whispered hoarsely, in shock at the boldness of that guy.

Shay, Delia and Meyers burst out laughing, and even Gordon giggled into his hand. Gohan only frowned deeper, and Trunks just wanted to disappear, trying to sink the lowest possible and hopefully become invisible.

Gohan's glare was back on him in a blink, though, and the boy swallowed loudly. "Gohan, look…"

"The hell are you doing _here_ , Trunks? _Here_? Seriously?" Gohan hissed in disbelief. Trunks gulped, growing more and more nervous as Gohan's _ki_ kept rising in anger. " _Here_? Where _she_ could recognize you at any moment? Not to mention Bulma's been worried sick about you – and for good reason, as I can see!"

"She's never met me," countered Trunks feebly, ignoring the part about his mom. He was kinda glad Gohan hadn't said "your mom" in front of his friends – that would've been way too embarrassing.

"She knows about you! And she _knows_ you're my friend!"

"The fuck you guys talking about?" Meyers asked dumbly.

"Hey, when they say "she"... you don't think they mean…?" whispered Delia to Shay, who widened her eyes in realization.

"They have to be!" she suddenly squealed, and her voice was so high pitched both Trunks and Gohan winced. Shay took the opportunity to address them, and she was all over Gohan again, big brown eyes sparkling in excitation, "Are you talking about the Devil? Do you – wow I can't believe it – do you actually _know_ her?"

"I…" Gohan started to sweat and swallowed nervously. The hell was up with that girl?

In the meantime, Fye was still in shock about his cigarette.

There was some commotion in the fighting area, and just like that Shay's attention did a complete one-eighty degree and she squealed yet again. "Another fight's starting! Kyaaaa~! DEVIL! YOU'RE THE BEST!" she screamed at the top of her lungs, failing around to try and get her hero's attention.

In fact, Shay had screamed so heartily and unrestrainedly that Videl had turned in her direction to offer her a smile and a wave – but then she froze.

And so did Gohan.

* * *

 _Miss me? Haha. I sure missed the rush when writing just flows~ It's been awesome writing for TSYA again, and I sure hope you enjoyed! Personally I love this chapter, haha. xD_

 _And guess what? It's morning already and I spent all night writing! So you better leave me a review now lol! I wanna wake up to reviews~~ :D_

 _Ahem. I'm a bit hyper, pardon me. :) Thank you all for reading and for waiting patiently or impatiently for my muse to come back. Now, muse, stay! I said stay! Good girl._

 _I'm in a weird high haha. Can't you tell? Anyways lol, please review? :)_

* * *

 _Big thanks to TheGodFather93 and rockstone5390 for their help through the writing process._

* * *

 _July 27, 2016_


	8. A Necessary Evil

_[Okay, so, I don't know what's happening but the muse kept bugging me and so I readily obliged. Enjoy the new chapter~!]_

* * *

 _Chapter Eight: A Necessary Evil_

* * *

It was with no surprise that when she turned on the lights of her son's bedroom, Bulma found his bed untouched and vacant. She scowled. That ungrateful little shit. Where the hell could he be heading off to in the middle of the night for over a week?

Well, at least after tonight everything should go back to normal. Gohan promised he would keep track on Trunks' _ki_ and bring him home if need be. Oh, how she couldn't wait to tug on that brat's ear. Her mind had been bustling with punishment ideas from day one, and now that Trunks would be caught red-handed she was all good and ready to scream at him to her heart's content.

Oh, she was going to make him pay, oh yes she was. How dared he make her worry so much? As if life wasn't crappy enough already!

Gohan had probably confronted Trunks by now for that matter, so they should be getting back any time now. Bulma smirked to herself, turning off the lights and walking back to her own bedroom. That kid had thought he could play her, but he had no idea what he got himself into. Oh, he was going to get it, and he was going to regret ever setting foot out of bed. He had no idea what was coming to him, and the mother was all ready to receive him with open arms.

Gohan couldn't bring Trunks back quick enough!

ooOoo

This wasn't supposed to happen like this. Gohan had imagined a million times how his reunion with Videl would be like, and this right now, had never made the list of the countless different scenarios he'd come up with in his head.

Gohan swallowed thickly, his face flushed and his hands sweaty as his and Videl's eyes were locked together for God knew how long. He was hardly aware that the teens and Trunks were staring at the exchange between him and Videl – all he could register was that angelic beauty across the parking lot looking back at him with those enchanting blue eyes of hers. Astonishment was written all over her face; but there was something else too, something he couldn't quite place.

Was it the hint of a smile that was making its way to her beautiful lips, or was he imagining things?

"Oh, my God, wow. They really do know each other," Shay whispered in awe. "Wow," she breathed again, her gaze shifting back and forth between Gohan and Videl. "Wow."

 _I should go see her,_ thought Gohan, his heart pounding erratically, anxious at the prospect. _This is what I meant to do anyway – I have to talk to her._

But, perhaps sensing his intentions, perhaps not, at that moment Videl turned away from him and nodded her head at the organizer to signal to him that she was ready to start the fight.

Gohan's heart jolted in excitement. He was going to see her fight again! Gosh, he'd missed watching Videl kick ass so freaking much. A wide grin spread out across his lips, and Gohan leaned over on the railing, completely oblivious of his surroundings and the kids watching him in interest, awe, and in Trunks' case, apprehension. But Gohan only had eyes for Videl.

"Do you think he's her boyfriend?" Delia whispered to Shay, who nodded vigorously in response.

"I'll bet anything that he is!" she whispered back, thrilled and struggling to keep her voice down. "Gosh, this is so awesome! To think I was actually _there_ when they met! It's like, I got to watch history unfold!"

"Shhh…" Fye shushed her with his finger over his lips. "Let's move while he's all lovestruck. I bet Trunks doesn't want to talk to him right now – right Trunks?"

But the boy in question was already way ahead of him and had slowly proceeded to climb up the stairs the first chance he got. Fye snorted out a laugh, trying to stifle the sound with his hand, as Trunks had already reached the top of the stairs.

"Don't think I've forgotten about you, Trunks," Gohan's stern voice sounded, his eyes never wavering from Videl. Trunks winced, and Fye and Meyers burst out laughing at their friend's misfortune.

"No luck for you tonight, Trunksies," Delia giggled at his expense. Trunks' shoulders slumped in defeat, and with a deep, heavy sigh, he slowly climbed the steps back down, one at a time. He was in no rush to join Gohan – who had yet to take his eyes off Videl for even a second.

Speaking of – Gohan frowned when Videl started getting hit far more often than she should.

"Come on, Devil! You can do better than this!" Shay cheered her on in enthusiasm. "Show that guy what you're made of! You're the best!"

That pink-haired teenage girl had voiced his thoughts exactly. Gohan wondered if he was the reason Videl seemed so distracted as she fought. While the notion was encouraging and somewhat comforting, this was the worst time to lose focus: her opponent, Black Flames, was a big mountain of muscles, which wasn't to say he wasn't fast and skilled too. If Videl wasn't more careful she could actually lose against that guy – as it looked right now, both fighters were evenly matched – Black Flames even seemed to have the upper hand, for that matter.

Gohan clenched his jaw and gritted his teeth, his _ki_ suddenly flaring up and causing the wind around him to pick up when Videl got struck so ferociously across the face that she fell down.

"Ohhhh – the Devil is down!" exclaimed the organizer. "Has she finally found her match?! Can she get up before the countdown? One! Two! …"

Gohan's hands clutched the railing so roughly that the metal bent into his fists. "Get up!" he shouted before he could stop himself. "Get up, Videl! You're better than him so get up and show him that you're the best! Get. Up!"

He didn't know if she heard him over the deafening cheers and boos, but barely a second later Videl jumped to her feet with the grace that characterized each of her movements. Her chest heaving in and out in a fast pace, she got into her fighting stance and locked eyes with her opponent, who smirked in appreciation and fell into his own stance.

And then, for a millisecond or even less, Videl made the briefest eye contact with Gohan. The lovestruck young man felt his chest swell with warmth and his lips broke out into a big grin.

She'd heard him – he was sure of it now. It made him so happy.

"So her name's Videl, huh," Gordon muttered to himself, glancing at Gohan before turning back to the fight.

Videl was gaining the upper hand this time. Her focus was back and she was simply unstoppable, delivering strike after strike with renewed energy. Everything she threw at Black Flames hit home, and he was quickly overwhelmed and could do nothing but endure Videl's flurry of attacks.

"KYAAAA~! You're the best, Devil!" Shay squealed in delight as she watched her hero in action.

"That, she is…" Gohan said to himself fondly, his words unheard in the midst of the ruckus from all around.

With one last mighty punch and a loud _thump_ , Black Flames fell down and, unlike Videl, didn't get back up. The crowd broke out into wild and loud cheers, insanely excited by the thrilling match they'd just witnessed. Videl stood tall, her fists clenched at her sides, her breathing heavy and erratic. She caught Gohan's eye again then and didn't look away this time, and the young warrior couldn't stop grinning at her, his face flushed and his onyx eyes beaming in a rush of affection.

How he died to scream that he loved her at the top of his lungs, right then, right there.

Without realizing or caring about what he was doing, unable to help himself, his steps led him right towards her. And Videl simply watched him advance towards her, doing nothing to stop him or avoid the encounter.

This was the moment. Nothing else mattered, nothing had meaning right now. Nothing but her. Gohan only knew one thing in that very moment: he was going to grab her face and kiss her breath away. He couldn't wait to reach her and do just that.

He pushed through the wild and still cheering crowd, his eyes never wavering from Videl's blue ones. When he finally got through the last few people in his way and stepped onto the center of the fighting area, some guy came up to him and said something Gohan didn't hear nor cared about. He was barely a few steps away from Videl – he was just seconds away from kissing those gorgeous lips of hers, from finally claiming that luscious mouth again after so long. It'd been way too long since the last time, and it'd been haunting him for all those weeks – the memory of kissing her, touching her, holding her, breathing her, losing himself in her… It'd been way, _way_ too long.

"Hello? I'm talking to you!" the guy yelled, grasping his wrist to get his attention. Gohan detached his eyes off Videl and glared murderously at the hindrance who dared delay him from kissing the love of his life. The shorter man shrunk in uneasiness and let go of Gohan in a flash. "I-I just wanted to know if you're a new challenger," the man, who was, in fact, the organizer of the fight club, stammered with uncertainty.

"Heh, why not," smirked Videl, and Gohan's head jerked at her, his eyebrows raised high under the few spiky locks of hair brushing his forehead.

"Huh… Um.. I, uh, I wasn't…" Gohan blabbered dumbly, thrown off balance by the unexpected turn of events.

Videl was already falling into her fighting stance, waving at him to come at her with her hand; she was smirking defiantly at him, that flame of stubbornness, that he loved so much, burning in her lovely blue eyes.

"Come on, _Majunior_ ," she said, "I want a rematch."

Gohan scratched the back of his head awkwardly, unsure of what was happening. He'd just meant to come over and kiss Videl – which would have been quite the bold move on his part now that he was thinking more clearly, considering the audience they would've had. But now, somehow, he was roped into a street fight against her.

A smile was starting to form on his lips at the idea. He remembered how much fun he'd had that one time he and Videl fought, the first time they met, how much he'd enjoyed teasing her and toy with her. Well, if she wanted to lose the fight again, he was more than fine with it. Besides, she needed to rest for the night.

But not before he won against her.

"Ohhh, and I even get to see your fighting stance this time," Videl mocked playfully. "Did I get an upgrade because I let you fuck me?"

Gohan gawked at her, his body going limp, his stance dropping completely. Did she just –

 _BAM!_ Her heavy heel connected with his gut and Gohan winced slightly, taking a few steps back as his hand rubbed his sore stomach. Man, that sure hurt. Videl wasn't playing around, huh. That little sneak.

A grin made its way to his lips as Gohan straightened up and fell into his stance again. So she wanted to play it that way, huh. Well, two could play that game.

Videl rushed him and Gohan blocked her kick – then she swerved around and attempted to elbow him, but Gohan caught it and pressed his spare hand to her stomach to pull Videl all against him. She froze, and Gohan leaned to her ear and whispered, "I missed you so much."

She tried to get a hold of herself but was completely helpless in his embrace when he wrapped his arms firmly around her and started nibbling her ear. Gohan smirked to himself.

"You… You bastard… This is a fight – stop… stop doing that…" Videl bit down on her lip, swallowing back the moan of pleasure threatening to slip out of her mouth. Gohan held her a little tighter against him, his hardening crotch pressed against her backside.

"You sure you want me to?" he teased, moving his lips to her neckline.

Neither of them had noticed how silent it had become around them. The crowd was dumbfounded by the unusual turn of events, blinking stupidly at the couple.

"Um, is he allowed to do that?" someone at the front wondered out loud.

"Well she seems to like it. Lucky bastard," someone else said enviously.

"Err, you guys?" the organizer called out hesitantly, fearing what the big orange-clad man would do to him if he pissed him off. "You're supposed to fight, not… well, um…"

"Gohan you bastard, I'm going to kill you," Videl muttered breathlessly, while Gohan chuckled against her skin.

"Okay then," he said mirthfully, and pulled away from her. Videl was completely thrown off balance by the sudden loss of support, or maybe he had managed to turn her legs into goo, Gohan thought to himself with a smirk.

 _Yep, still got it,_ – he thought as he swiftly swooped his arm around her before she fell down. Blue eyes glared murder at him as he held the pose, her low twin tails flowing gently behind her, to the ground. Gohan just grinned wider.

"Should I have let you fall?" he teased. Videl did not look amused, and it only made this all the more fun.

"It's a fight. You're not supposed to catch me when I fall. Idiot."

"I don't think I'm supposed to do that either," he said playfully before dipping his head down and catching her lips in a deep kiss.

From all the way over at the staircase, Trunks gaped at the scene. Was that really Gohan over there? He'd never seen this side of his friend before, and it was all so weird. Gohan was usually shy, and he always avoided drawing attention to himself, and yet now he was kissing a girl right in front of a huge crowd and didn't even seem to care that he had an audience.

Neither did Videl, for that matter. It had looked as though she didn't even try to resist, and now she was kissing Gohan back just as passionately, her arms tightly bound around his neck while Gohan held her close all against him.

Yuck. Kissing looked so gross. Why would people even do that? Trunks knew it was supposed to feel good but – _gross!_ Seriously, were they trying to eat each other's faces?

But apparently, the girls in his little group of friends thought the scene was incredibly romantic and they were squealing and awwing and had stars in their eyes. Maybe you had to be a teen to get it – because Trunks certainly did not.

"Man, what I wouldn't do to be in his place," Meyers sighed dreamily. "Lucky bastard."

"Tell me about it," Fye acquiesced half-heartedly, depressed that his idol had a boyfriend.

"Sucks," nodded Gordon, watching the kissing couple with a pout.

Trunks observed the three guys out of the corner of his eye. They all seemed to have a huge crush on Videl, which Trunks could see why to an extent. He supposed that was also something he would understand better once he hit puberty – although, looking at the lot of them now, the boy was in no rush to get there.

When Gohan finally pulled away from the kiss, he and Videl stayed still for some time, keeping their eyes shut and breathing heavily. Slowly, Gohan opened his eyes, and Videl followed suit. Gone were the playfulness and the teasing – as he looked intently into her glazed blue eyes, as he saw the want and the lust and the thirst for him in her blue depths, the two words that escaped his lips did so without him realizing.

"I forfeit."

The organizer blinked stupidly. "Huh?"

Gohan said it louder this time, but didn't tear his gaze away from Videl for one moment. "I said I forfeit. And the Devil is done for the night."

She frowned slightly, but didn't utter a word of protest.

"Um, okay. Err… I guess that means…" The organizer looked about at the crowd. "We need two new runner-ups this time. Who's up to it?"

The people in the audience, still a bit dumbfounded by everything that had just happened, looked at one another and blinked. The organizer then cleared his throat and yelled excitedly, "The night's not over yet! So I repeat: WHO IS UP TO IT?"

That seemed to do the trick, and cheers broke out once more. Gohan scooped Videl's hand into his, leading her away from the fighting area. She let him pull her away without a word, without breaking eye contact, and was secretly hoping that he would bring her to a deserted place where she could pin him against a wall and ravage his mouth some more.

Unknown to them, a group of five teenagers and one reluctant eleven year old was discreetly following them. Trunks hoped Gohan hadn't noticed his friends, who couldn't conceal their _kis_ like he was doing right now. At least with all the people in the parking lot, singling out five weak energy signatures wasn't something you'd do naturally, so Trunks tried to be optimistic about it. Truth be told, he was actually as curious as the lot of them about what was going to happen between Gohan and Videl now, although he was also wary and grossed out at the thought of them making out again.

The underground parking lot was quite wide and spacious, and there were rows of walls here and there to separate the different sections of the parking places. Gohan finally stopped walking when he and Videl got around one of those walls, far enough away from the crowd and out of sight – or so they thought.

He was crushing her in his arms the next moment, breathing in the crook of her neck deeply. "I missed you so freaking much."

Videl bit down on her lip, trying to keep a clear head. It was so hard to focus when Gohan was holding her like this and his intoxicating scent was washing over her nostrils and his heartbeats were pounding so hard that she could feel it where their bodies meshed together.

"Gohan…" she breathed out.

"So what do you know about those two?" Delia asked Trunks in a hushed voice.

"Not much. Just that Videl's been pushing Gohan away because she doesn't want to get attached, or something like that," Trunks shrugged.

"Seems a bit too late for that," mocked Fye with a quirked eyebrow, watching the pair hold onto each other in a loving embrace.

Trunks frowned. "She's hurt Gohan so much. I really wanted to hate her for what she put him through."

"But you don't, right?" Shay smirked. "You're part of her fan club after all."

He flushed brightly. "Well she's an excellent fighter, I'll give her that," he muttered half-heartedly.

"You're damn right she is," grinned Shay. Meyers snickered.

"Hey, so you saw how they met, right?" Delia asked, addressing Shay. Stars twinkled in the pink-haired girl's eyes and she joined her hands, sighing dreamily.

"Oh, yes, and it was so romantic. I could so see in his eyes that he already liked her when he was toying around with her, and she was all flustered and aggressive – it was _awesome_. Oh yeah, and I laughed my ass off when she kicked him in the groin," she snickered, and her friends joined her, trying to be as quiet as possible as they laughed at Gohan's expense. And though Trunks grimaced slightly in compassion for his friend, he also couldn't help snickering at his expense – just imagining the scene in his head made him want to burst out laughing.

"Gohan, please…" Videl moaned weakly, trying to push him away but unable to put any strength into it. "We've already said goodbye so many times, you're just making things harder for us by turning up like that."

"In my defense, I hadn't planned on it this time," Gohan mumbled into her neck. "I was looking for Trunks, who's apparently been coming to see your fights for the past week or so."

"Yeah, I've noticed him." She sighed in defeat, leaning into his chest, and allowed herself to snuggle up to him. "What was up with that?"

Gohan chuckled nervously. "I shouldn't have shown him what your _ki_ felt like. Sorry about that."

"You're an idiot."

He cracked a smile. "Yeah, I know."

Gohan straightened up slightly to look down at Videl's beautiful face. His eyes softened, and his smile turned so gentle and loving, Videl felt a rush of emotions swirling inside of her, up her throat and to her eyes, and she swallowed, willing her stupid tears away.

"Did you miss me?" he murmured, cupping her cheek tenderly. She closed her eyes and leaned into his touch.

"Well, I'm not a robot," she breathed out.

Gohan leaned in and pressed his forehead against hers, letting his eyes slid shut. "I want to tell you, Videl – what you've forbidden me to say. I want to tell you so bad – the words are bursting out of me."

She was quick to reply. "Don't." Videl swallowed, tightening her arms around him. "Never. I don't want to hear it."

"You're cruel," he sighed in dejection as he straightened up again, meeting her gaze. She smiled in resignation.

"Yeah. Sorry."

He kissed her, but unlike the kiss out there in the fighting area, this one was much slower and tender, and Videl all but melted into him.

"Ugh, they're at it again," Trunks complained, making a face.

"Shhhh…!" the five teens shushed him earnestly, completely engrossed by the unbelievably romantic scene unfolding before their eyes.

"I've been thinking," Gohan panted, keeping his eyes closed, his hands cupping Videl's lovely face. "I…" He swallowed nervously, dreading the rejection he was certain to get.

She brushed the spiky locks from his forehead, still in the afterglow of Gohan's incredible kiss. Her gentle touch was making his knees grow weak. "Hm?"

He took a deep breath. "I've changed my mind," he blurted out quickly, keeping his eyes tightly shut. "I don't want to stay apart," Videl frowned and started to pull away, but Gohan held onto her and buried his nose in the crook of her neck.

"Please, Videl. I need you so much," he whispered hoarsely. "Please, at least think about it. I know you feel the same way, and staying away from you is driving me insane. I can't do it anymore. I just can't."

His voice started breaking and he bit down on his lip, holding onto her tighter than ever.

"Gohan… We've talked about it. You know I don't–"

"I _need_ you, dammit," he gritted out, unwilling to let go even though Videl was trying to push him back. "I need you, Videl. I need you in my life. I need your smile to give me strength, I need your laugh to remind me what I'm fighting for, I need your warmth, and your kisses, and your lovely eyes. I need you so fucking much, Videl – and now look at me, you've even made me swear," he finished in a joking tone, sensing how much she was hurting because of his insistence and trying to appease her in some way.

She laughed slightly, burying her face into his broad chest. Gohan cracked a small smile, pulling back slightly to look at her again, cupping her cheek. She smiled back at him, sad eyes meeting his.

"I wish there was a way for us, Gohan, I really do. But…" She heaved a deep sigh and looked down.

He kissed her temple. "I don't want to give up on you this time, Videl. I'm not going anywhere – and I'll be back to try to win you over again and again – as many times as I need." He bit back the "I love you" he almost blurted out then and swallowed hard.

He wanted to wait until Videl actually wanted to hear him say it before he did utter those three words to her. And then maybe, she'd say it back too.

"And I can be pretty damn stubborn, you know," he added with a playful smile. Videl snorted out a laugh, and Gohan kissed her again.

And again, like every time they kissed, Videl melted completely.

"Well, damn," Gordon blurted out. Fye snickered at the usually quiet boy's comment.

"Shut up," Delia sniffed, wiping her teary eyes. "It's so sad and romantic. I want a love story like that."

"They should just get together already," muttered Shay, wiping away her own tears. "I didn't think Devil would be so stupid about love stuff."

"Not so perfect now, that hero of yours, is she?" smirked Fye. Meyers and Gordon laughed into their hands, stifling the sound.

"Shut up," Shay retorted, glaring at the cool wanna-be. "It just makes her more human. She's still the best ever, okay?"

"Sure she is," Meyers grinned, sharing a look with the two other boys.

Trunks sighed deeply at their antics. How could they be older than him when they acted so much more childishly? Seriously, he hoped he wasn't going to become like that in a few years. That'd be depressing.

He looked at his watch and winced. Man, he should probably get going. Gohan was still busy smooching Videl's face, and besides he didn't want to be scolded at by his friend – his mom would be more than enough, thank you very much.

"Hey, guys, I better head off – while Gohan's busy with Videl, you know?" he told his friends. They turned to him and smirked amongst each other.

"Sure thing, Trunksies. You better escape before your friend remembers why he came here in the first place," Fye teased good-naturedly.

"You're missing out on the show though," Delia shot at him as she turned back to the kissing couple, quickly followed by Shay who hummed in agreement.

"Um, yeah, sure," Trunks said awkwardly. "Well, see ya guys."

Gordon smiled at him and signed him goodbye with two fingers. Trunks nodded at him, and the others told him bye as well. Sneaking one last glance at Gohan and Videl, Trunks made sure they were still engrossed in each other and nodded to himself, heading off the opposite way.

Videl finally managed to push Gohan back, and she moved her head to the side to stop him from kissing her – and stop herself from giving in to him.

"Stop it already," she murmured breathlessly. "Stop kissing me."

Gohan contented himself with nuzzling her neck instead, his arms securing tightly around her. He wasn't ready to let go of her just yet. "Can't. You're too irresistible," he mumbled against her skin, his voice coming out slightly muffled.

Videl chewed on her lower lip and shut her eyes, trying to gather her might to better resist Gohan. She fisted his shirt, and then, with a forceful push, finally detached Gohan from herself.

"I said stop," she whispered, keeping her eyes averted, lest he drew her in again with those beautiful, gentle eyes of his. "Please Gohan, no more. I can't take any more."

He smirked slightly. "Should I take you home then?"

A lump rose in her throat, and Videl swallowed hard, her face flushed bright red. _Oh God, yes, yes, bring me home and fuck my brains out, please,_ her inner self squealed in anticipation. Glancing up at him against her better judgment, Videl felt her crotch heat up at the stupidly handsome and sexy smirk of his. Damn that Gohan. Couldn't he have been ugly with acne? Nope. He just _had_ to be gorgeous.

That damned insane chemistry between them.

She averted her gaze again and took a step back, ignoring her urge to snuggled back in his comforting arms when his warmth left her. "And then what? You know I'm right to do this, Gohan, you know we don't have a future together. Just let me move on… please." she whispered the last word desperately, closing her teary eyes.

"Has it been working for you, then?" Gohan asked in a gentle voice, willing himself not to close the distance between them again and cup her face to make her look at him; he knew that at this point, with Videl rejecting him like she was, it would only make her more upset if he tried to come closer again. And that wouldn't be in his favor. "Have you been able to get over me? Because nothing's been working for me."

"I can't when you keep showing up," she muttered, crossing her arms, her lips puckered in a pout.

He cracked a small smile. "It's been over two months since we last saw each other. Had the distance been helping you at all? I haven't even been coming to watch your fights all this time, either."

"It's not enough." She shifted her gaze to him then, frowning in disapproval. "And stop fighting them so much. It pisses me off."

"Hey, I haven't ended up in the hospital in months. Don't I get points for that?" he said in a joking tone. Videl's lips twitched, but she forced down her forming smile and scowled instead.

Gohan chanced a step forward, and reached over to tuck a few loose strands behind her ear. Videl's mouth felt dry all of a sudden, and she swallowed, unable to look away from his gentle, loving eyes. God, how she loved those eyes.

"If you're worried about me after I face them, I can drop by to let you know I'm okay, if you want," he said softly.

"While that's tempting…" Videl brushed his hand away and sighed. "I'd rather you stayed away, Gohan. I'm serious."

"I know…" He sighed in turn, tucking his hands in his _gi_ pants' pockets, his shoulders slumping. It wasn't a nice feeling to keep getting rejected. "Still, I'm not giving up on you this time, so you're going to see a lot of me from now on."

They held each other's gaze, Videl narrowing her eyes while Gohan smiled down at her, taking a step closer again.

"You're such a pain," she complained.

"I want to kiss you again."

She turned away from him. "Well, don't. I'm going home."

She started walking away, but paused when Gohan called out: "You sure you don't want a lift?"

Videl looked at him over her shoulder; she willed her hesitation away and commanded herself not to melt at his adorable smile. Damn him. "No thanks."

"Are you sure? I promise I'll just drop you off. You liked flying with me, right?"

She chewed down on her lip, very much tempted. Damn him. "...You promise to just drop me off and not try anything else?"

He pulled an exaggerated shocked face. "What, I won't even get a kiss goodbye?"

"No."

He chuckled, shaking his head slightly. "Alright then."

Though he hadn't given up on that idea just yet.

ooOoo

Trunks slipped under his blanket as silently as possible and got undressed while underneath it. He couldn't believe his luck: it seemed that his mother was sound asleep – he could feel it in her _ki_. What a relief! At least he got to have his night of sleep before having to confront her in the morning.

Before falling asleep, he wondered if Gohan had managed to convince Videl to be with him. For his friend's sake, he sure hoped so. Gohan had been hurt enough as it was – he deserved to be happy. And after seeing him interact with Videl tonight, Trunks believed that she was the only one who could truly make him happy. The way he'd always been grinning while he looked at her, the way he'd teased her, the, albeit gross, way he had kissed her – Trunks had never seen Gohan behave like that before; he'd never seen Gohan so easy going and just – _happy_. Truly, Videl was good for him, and with her by his side, Trunks believed that his friend's will to win against the cyborgs would only strengthen, and not even they would be able to stop Gohan.

He smiled to himself wishfully. Yeah. That'd be awesome. He hoped everything had gone well between Gohan and Videl. They loved each other too much to stay apart again.

ooOoo

The group of five followed the couple discreetly out of the parking lot. But, as they got further and further away from the crowd down below, it hadn't gone unnoticed by Gohan that they were being followed. He shifted his eyes to the back as he and Videl walked side by side up the stairs towards the exit, and wondered why those kids from earlier were following them.

And then he remembered: Trunks. The boy didn't even seem to be hanging with his friends anymore, for that matter. Well, he was probably concealing his _ki_ , now that he thought about it – but then again, Trunks had most likely run away. Gohan sighed softly. With everything that had happened with Videl, it had completely distracted him from his initial task. Bulma was going to be pissed.

"We're being followed," he said in a low voice.

"Oh? I thought something felt off…" Videl said thoughtfully, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye.

Gohan cracked a smile. Had Videl developed a _ki_ -sensing ability naturally? With her talent and immense potential, that wouldn't be surprising at all. Geez, could she be any more amazing?

"Should we make a run for it?" he suggested. Videl shrugged.

"Nah. It's not like they'll be able to follow us once you take off."

He grinned. "True."

They kept climbing up the stairs towards the exit, leisurely, not in any rush. Gohan glanced down at Videl, and then his eyes lowered down to her hand at her side. She was wearing fingerless gloves, he noticed. He was dying to hold her hand. To walk hand in hand with her. Just the thought of doing it gave him a rush of energy.

He moved closer to her inconspicuously, looking the opposite way, and nonchalantly grabbed her tiny hand into his, his calloused fingers closing around her slender ones. His heart was pounding hard at the risky move, and he hoped against all hope that Videl wasn't going to shrug him off.

"What are you doing?" she asked blankly.

"Hm?" he said turning to her, playing the oblivious.

"You're holding my hand."

"And you're not shrugging me off."

She narrowed her eyes at him. Then she huffed and turned away, her nose in the air. Yet, she still didn't free her hand from his hold. Gohan felt flutters in his stomach, grinning wider than ever as he intertwined his fingers with hers. He didn't know why, but the simple act of holding Videl's hand was causing him to feel high on love. He even started humming to himself happily.

"Idiot," she muttered under her breath.

Behind them, the group of five kept watching the lovesick couple while they followed quietly after them.

"Gosh, they're so cute," giggled Delia.

"Man, he's so lucky. I'm so fucking jealous," Meyers muttered, staring at the pair with envy.

"Yeah, but hey, at least they're cute, right girls?" grinned Fye, to which the girls giggled into their hands.

Meyers rolled his eyes – and then missed a step and tripped, letting out a yelp as he started falling forward, his chin going straight for the stone stairs – but the next moment he was pulled up by the back of his collar. His heart hammering in his chest, he turned around to a frowning Gordon.

"So noisy," he hissed.

Meyers smiled nervously, and then glanced up at the couple – who had stopped going up the stairs and were looking behind at them.

"You guys alright down there?" Gohan called out.

"Great going, Meyers," glowered Shay.

"In his defense, we knew you guys were following us," Videl added, smirking.

Shay's eyes widened, and her mouth hung open. Her mind had shut down and kept repeating over and over, _Ohmygod ohmygod ohmygod!_ The Devil was talking to her! She had actually spoken to her! _OHMYGOD!_

Gohan chuckled. "You've got quite the fan club here."

Videl smirked smugly. "Yep. I'm that awesome."

He grinned. "You sure are." _And God, I love you so much,_ he added for himself, his fingers tightening around her hand.

"Hi, I'm Fye," the cool wanna-be introduced himself. "This here is Shay; she's your biggest fan ever. I mean, she was even there when you guys met – she's been following you around for over a year I think. Is that right, Shay?"

Shay nodded her head vigorously, her voice still unable to work for the time being; but the widest grin was lighting up her face like a Christmas tree.

"I'm Meyers," the dark blue haired teen said with a nervous smile. He couldn't believe he was actually talking to the Devil. And damn, she was so hot. He had to remind himself not to stare at her well-endowed breasts.

"That's Delia over there," Fye continued, and Delia waved at the couple with enthusiasm. "And the quiet one here is Gordon." Gordon nodded at the both of them, his gaze lingering longer on Videl.

"Nice to meet you," Gohan replied politely. "I'm Gohan, and you guys know Videl as the Devil, right?"

"Well, as much as I'd love to stay and chat, I also want to get home," Videl said. "But I'm sure I'll see you guys soon enough," she added with a wink, and the guys swooned a bit. Gohan raised an eyebrow at that, starting to see why the boys were Videl's fans.

"I'll come to see you fight next time too!" Shay shot up suddenly, finally finding her voice again. "For sure!"

"I'll be counting on your support, then," Videl smiled kindly, before looking up at Gohan. "Let's go, Gohan."

He nodded, feeling his heart warm up. He loved how kind Videl was, when she wasn't hiding behind her cruel act. He knew that this was the real Videl: kind and loving and cute. Gosh, he loved her so damn much – it wasn't even funny.

"Oh, and I'm totally rooting for you guys!" Delia shouted after them.

Gohan shot Videl a glance and grinned at her flushed face. "Stupid kids," she muttered under her breath.

"I really like that one," Gohan teased, and Videl shot him a glare. He grinned. "It's kind of a relief, too, since Trunks' been hanging out with them. I'm glad they're good kids."

"I guess." Videl shrugged, turning away to face ahead of her. It shouldn't be long before they got to the exit now.

"What did you do for your birthday?" Gohan asked out of the blue. Videl shrugged, uncaring.

"Nothing. It's just another day for me."

He frowned slightly. "But you turned twenty. It's a big milestone."

"Couldn't care less."

"Which day was it, by the way?"

"Not telling you."

He pouted. "Meanie."

"Yep."

Gohan chuckled. Ahh, it was so much fun to hang out with Videl. He hoped that soon enough, he would get to be with her like this all the time. Man, that would be so awesome. If only Videl accepted his feelings already.

"Mine was on May 18th. My mom baked a chocolate and strawberry cake for me – she's an amazing cook, you know." Videl glanced at him, trying to force down the amused smile that threatened to form on her lips. Gohan grinned at her. "Trunks and Bulma came, too – Bulma's Trunks' mom, for that matter. And my gramps managed to show up, too – he's really old and lives in a remote village, so I don't see him often."

"You've got quite the family, huh," she commented, her eyes softening.

"I want you to be part of it."

She looked ahead again and shook her head. "Not gonna happen."

Gohan cracked a smile. "We'll see. I'm not giving up on us." He tightened his hold on her hand for emphasis.

 _Why am I letting him do as he pleases? If he's really gonna keep coming to see me… I'm never going to be able to get over him. This is going to be a problem…_

They finally arrived at the top of the stairs and walked outside in the cool spring air.

"Hey, Gohan," Videl started softly.

"Hm?" he replied, turning to her.

"I think I better get home on my own," she murmured reluctantly. "It's fine, I have a bike now."

"But…"

His voice trailed off when Videl let go of his hand and turned away from him. "I'm fine on my own. I don't need anyone."

"Videl…"

"I don't want to see you again, Gohan," she declared, suddenly turning around to face him. "Every time I see you, it takes a toll on me and then it takes me even longer to get over it. I'm tired, Gohan. I'm tired of goodbyes, I'm tired of having my heart torn out of my chest every time I tell you no and push you away. Please, Gohan, please," she pleaded, closing the distance between them to look deeply into his distraught eyes. "Please, leave me be. I need to get over you – I know it's way too late for me to able to ever forget about you, but I want at least to stop hurting so much." Her eyes were tearing up, and Gohan's heart was being torn apart, piece by piece, as she spoke.

"I don't want to give up on you, Videl," he whispered.

She closed her eyes and shook her head. "You have to, Gohan. It's better this way, and you know I'm right."

"But I…" He swallowed and grabbed her face between his palms, making her look at him. "I'm so happy when I'm with you. I need this. I need you, Videl. Please don't shut me out."

"Gohan, no. I've made up my mind the moment I started…" her voice lowered, "... having feelings for you. I never meant to be with you, or with anyone. Just let me be on my own – I was doing fine before I met you. Please, Gohan, I want to stop hurting."

His eyes were welling up; he let his head drop and land onto her shoulder. "But I can't go on without you, Videl. I'm going insane from missing you so much."

She swallowed, clenching her fists tightly at her sides to prevent herself from giving in again and wrap her arms around him. She had to be strong. This couldn't go on like that. Gohan had to understand that staying apart was the only way to lessen the suffering. She had to make him understand. This couldn't go on.

"It'll pass," she breathed out. "But you have to let me go, Gohan. It's over. We've said goodbye already."

"Well, that last night with you only made it harder to stay away," he muttered, letting out a dejected sigh.

"It's your own fault for not staying away."

"You were the one who coaxed me back in when I was already out," he retorted in bad faith.

"Which wouldn't have happened if you hadn't shown up."

He chuckled softly and straightened up, looking down at her lovingly. "There's no winning against you, is there?"

Videl looked away from his sad eyes. Gosh, she hated inflicting him so much pain – but it was a necessary evil for the better good. "Don't come back, Gohan. We're done, and I won't change my mind."

She turned away from him and took a few steps, then got out a capsule from her trousers' pocket and threw it on the street. A motorbike appeared in the midst of a cloud of smoke. Videl climbed on, shot Gohan one last look; he was staring back at her helplessly, dejectedly. She tore her eyes off him, told herself for the umpteenth times that this was the right thing to do – and then started the engine and rode off into the night.

Gohan stood there, his throat dry and constricted, watching the road where Videl had disappeared long after she was gone. His heart ached and twisted and clenched in the most painful ways.

"I'm not giving up on us," he repeated under his breath. "I can't. I won't. I'm sorry, Videl, but I just can't let go."

ooOoo

Gohan felt a little out of place sitting there having tea with Bulma while Trunks was mopping the tiled floor of the kitchen. Poor Trunks – Gohan felt bad for him. His young friend had an endless list of chores to do the for the coming weeks, and not only that, but his mother had been quite harsh with the way she'd woken him up this morning.

"Did you really have to throw at him ice cold water at five in the morning?" He winced at the thought.

Bulma huffed, crossing her arms. "Well, serves him right. Now he'll think twice before playing the delinquent again. Only good boys deserve a warm and dry bed."

Geez. And he thought _his_ mother was strict. Although, he supposed Chichi was more overprotective than hard on him.

"And when you're done with the floor," Bulma said to her son, "you'll clean all the bathrooms we have. I want the toilets to be sparkling clean. Is that clear?"

"Yes Mom," Trunks sighed dejectedly.

"Aren't you a little too harsh on him?" Gohan tried meekly, shrinking into his chair at the murderous glare Bulma shot him. "I mean, Capsule Corp. is so huge. He'll never be done cleaning the place."

"When you have kids of your own, I'll gladly hear your opinion on the matter," she bit back coldly. "In the meantime – shut the fuck up."

Gohan gulped audibly. Man, Bulma was downright scary. He wondered if his dad had ever made her this pissed before, and if so, how he'd managed to calm her down. He could sure use some tips on how to handle the mad scientist right now.

She'd been especially cranky towards him, seeing as he hadn't fulfilled his task and hadn't brought Trunks home like he'd been supposed to. And Bulma had waited and waited for them for hours last night, so much that she'd ended up falling asleep. Gohan knew she was right to be angry, but geez, she was being way too harsh on poor Trunks, who hadn't done anything too terrible after all. It certainly wasn't bad enough to warrant this kind of treatment, that was for sure.

Okay, so maybe he was going easy on Trunks because, if it hadn't been for him, Gohan wouldn't have been able to see Videl last night. Still, Bulma was going overboard with Trunks' punishment.

But maybe she was right in a way, and he couldn't really understand what she'd gone through because he didn't have children of his own. His mind then started picturing himself as a dad, and a small smile tugged at his lips as he visualized Videl holding a tiny baby in her arms, and him hugging her from behind.

"You know, thanks to him I got to see Videl last night," he said, hoping that changing the subject would help ease the resentful mother.

That certainly caught Bulma's interest, and her anger seemed to dim down as she looked at him expectantly, urging him to go on. Gohan looked down at his cup of tea, sadness dimming the light in his onyx eyes.

"I told her I won't give up on her this time, but she still won't be with me." He sighed deeply. "I don't know how I can make her change her mind. I don't think I can."

Hearing this, Trunks frowned. "But you guys kept kissing again and again," he recalled. "I thought it was going well for you."

Bulma raised an eyebrow at Gohan, who flushed brightly, staring intently at his cup.

"How do you even know that?" he muttered at Trunks, who simply shrugged.

"My friends and I followed you 'cause we were curious."

"Oh."

Gosh, this was embarrassing. Gohan rubbed his nose and turned his face away, hoping to hide his deep blush. Bulma cracked a smile; it was hard not to feel endearment when Gohan looked so utterly adorably awkward.

"They seemed like good kids," he muttered, trying to avert the subject from his love life. "At least you didn't make bad friends."

Trunks chuckled. "Yeah, they're fun to hang out with."

"Quit chatting and keep mopping, Trunks," Bulma ordered her son, who heaved a deep sigh and did as he was told.

"Can't you let him take a break?" Gohan asked meekly. Bulma scowled darkly at him, and he gulped, fearing she might jump across the table and strangle him.

"No kids, no opinion."

ooOoo

Grounded or not, Trunks had no intention to stop going to watch Videl's fights. Besides, what was the worst his mother could do to him? He was already doing all the chores there was until further notice, so really, what else could she ground him with?

And anyway, in this crappy world there was little fun things to do. Hanging out with his friends and watching Videl kick ass was the most fun he'd had in ages. And when you could die at any moment, you had to grasp at the things that made you the least bit happy.

Besides, his mom knew where he was off to now, so surely she wasn't going to get worried, right?

They were in the another parking lot this time, but this one was outdoors. He and his friends were stuck somewhere in the middle of the crowd of spectators, having found no better place to watch the street fights. They were getting pushed and shoved around in that mass of people, and on top of that, Videl's turn had yet come up. Not to say that the current runner-ups weren't putting on a good show, but there was just something immensely enjoyable about watching a tiny woman beat up giant musclebound men. That was most likely why Videl was so popular. That, and the fact that pretty much everybody thought she was hot.

"When is she gonna fight already?" Shay complained restlessly, looking left and right and around in search for her idol.

"Yeah," Meyers agreed. "I wanna see her fight in a tight outfit…" His eyes glazed over dreamily as he pictured the young woman in something so tight it left nothing to the imagination.

"You're such a perv, Meyers," snickered Delia. "Though honestly, I'd totally go gay for her. She's just that hot," she smirked.

"Hmm, now that's an image I like to picture," Fye grinned, wriggling his eyebrows suggestively. "Two hot girls getting hot and heavy on one another."

Delia laughed and blushed, punching the tall boy's shoulder playfully. "Shut up, you perv," she giggled.

The crowd around them suddenly broke out into wild cheers as one of the fighters fell to the ground. The group of six shared a look, all wondering if Videl was going to be up next.

Their hopes were apparently answered because, indeed, Videl pushed her way through the mass of people and stepped onto the fighting area, which, as always, was delimited by the circle of the people around the vacant space.

"If no one minds, I'll be up next," she smirked confidently, crossing her arms. Most people in the crowd knew of her by now, and they all cheered for her. Videl shot a look around, drinking in all the acclamation and cheers she was receiving. It sure felt good to be appreciated for your own merits.

She caught a glimpse of pink in the middle of the crowd and shot a smile at the overly excited teenage girl who shouted encouragements at her and waved her arms wildly while jumping up and down. Her biggest fan, apparently. Damn, what was her name again? Now that was pretty lousy of her to forget the name of her most faithful fan. Ah well.

She then made eye contact with the purple haired boy who was Gohan's friend, and she shot him a confident smirk. Knowing how much stronger he was, since he was capable of going toe to toe with the cyborgs, it boosted her self-esteem as a fighter that this kid appreciated her fighting skills.

She finally turned to her current opponent, a tanned man with a shaved head who called himself Snake. He had multiple tattoos all over his exposed torso and arms, but he wasn't overly muscular or a giant like most fighters she had encountered. He looked light on his feet, and Videl surmised that he was as swift as he was skilled. She smirked. This was going to be fun.

"I've been watching you fight for a while now," Snake commented with a cocky grin. "I have to admit, you're good… but I think I'm better."

Videl matched his grin with her own. "Let's see it then." With that she assumed a standard fighting stance, with her left leg placed forward and her right leg stationary. Her hands were clenched into fists; her left arm in front of her body and her right one pulled back past her ribs, as though she were about to throw a punch.

Snake simply spread his feet shoulder width apart and bent his knees slightly. Then, with both fists pulled back, he rushed Videl like a bull and attempted to knock her away with a double palm thrust to the chest.

Because of the straightforward nature of the attack, Videl was able to dodge the palm thrust with a simple sidestep to the right, which she followed up with a sweep of her left leg, targeting her opponent's right calf.

Snake fell backwards, colliding with the hard gravel of the makeshift fighting ring with his backside, and winced upon impact. Seeing a perfect opportunity to capitalize, Videl attempted a leg drop onto the face of her downed opponent, but the tattooed man simply rolled to the side, avoiding the attack.

He then did a kip up which got him back to his feet, and tried to hit Videl with a side thrust kick aimed right at her head. Given that she had only just stood up as well, Videl wasn't in a prime position to defend herself, so the only thing she could do was protect her face with a cross-arm block. When the opposing appendage made contact with her arms, the surprising force of the blow sent her skidding backwards.

With gritted teeth and stinging arms, Videl was then forced to dodge a barrage of jabs from Snake, coupled with the occasional right straight. However, avoiding such attacks was child's play to her, as she so aptly demonstrated with a series of head weaves that wouldn't look out of place in a world championship boxing match.

When Snake overextended his arm after one of his errant punches, Videl saw it as the perfect opportunity to step in and plant a right straight of her own directly into her opponent's left ribs. Her ears picked up on the slight cracking of bone and the subsequent wince from the tattooed man, which caused her lip to quirk upwards into a tiny smile.

As the wounded Snake staggered backwards, his left hand clutching his broken ribs, Videl stepped back a few meters, then with a quick sprint leapt into the air with an outstretched foot, which impacted upon Snake's face with the force of a wrecking ball.

The tattooed man was sent flying backwards several meters, and when he crashed upon the ground Videl took a few moments to steady her breathing. Surely the fight was over… right?

However, much to Videl's shock, a groaning Snake lifted himself off the ground. She couldn't help but wince as she got a good look at her opponent's face. Blood was rushing down his face from a cut on his forehead, pooling at his feet like water from a leaky tap. Snake clearly wasn't too bothered by this, as he simply cracked his neck and wiped off the blood that was impairing his vision.

He then rushed at Videl once more, albeit this time his feet dragged slightly across the ground. As impressive as his endurance was, he still hadn't completely recovered from Videl's earlier beating.

That gave the raven haired woman some confidence, and so she matched her opponent's charge with her own. Upon finally clashing, the two martial artists exchanged a rapid flurry of close-quarters strikes. For a few seconds, the pair was evenly matched, as neither of them managed to land a clean hit on the other. However, one of the fighters was a lot more injured than their opponent, and this slowly began to show.

Snake's punches lost the weight behind them, and his movements became more sluggish. Knowing victory was almost within her grasp, Videl waited for the perfect opportunity to counter her opponent and decisively end the bout.

She didn't have to wait too long, as Snake overextended once again on a right straight. This time, Videl grabbed his arm at the wrist with her left hand, and using the momentum of his punch, shuffled her feet and crashed her right forearm into the crook of the man's elbow with a downwards blow.

A cry of pain was heard as Snake was forcefully sent to the ground. This was only exacerbated as Videl maintained her grip on his wrist. Once he was on his back, she trapped his arm against her ribs, extending the joints as a result and causing excruciating pain. She then pulled back her right fist, and with a spirited _kiai_ thrust her arm forward with the speed of a bullet, stopping mere inches from Snake's jaw.

She had already won. There was no need to inflict further injury on her opponent.

When the wincing Snake opened his eyes, he was met with the smiling visage of Videl, who had retracted her fist and stood up. She then offered a hand, which he gladly accepted as he got back to his feet.

"Good match," she said warmly.

"Sure was," he grinned in response. "I can't remember the last time I got my ass kicked that badly."

A roar of applause and cheers was heard from the crowd, which was evidently pleased with the spectacle they had just witnessed.

Trunks' eyes sparkled with admiration, a huge grin spread across his face as he stared at the amazing female fighter. Damn, she was incredible. Seriously, he was so dying to train her and see her full potential unlock – it seemed like such a huge waste not to.

"You've really come to like her, huh?" an all too familiar voice said to him, and Trunks jumped slightly before turning swiftly to face his older friend, cursing him silently for sneaking up on him like that by concealing his _ki_. Gohan smiled down at him, patting his head of fine lilac hair affectionately. Trunks pouted, feeling embarrassed by his show of affection in front of his friends – who were snickering at him, on top of that.

"Where the hell is your shirt?" Trunks asked with a funny face.

Gohan looked down at himself and blinked, apparently only realizing now that he was topless. He cracked an awkward smile and scratched the back of his head. "I was training and kinda forgot to put it back when I felt Videl fighting."

"Woah, sick scars, man," Meyers whistled in awe, staring at the big, diagonal one across the young warrior's torso.

"Geez, what kind of fight do you get into?" Fye questioned with a kind of fascination, eying the messy lines that came together just above Gohan's heart. The young man shifted on his feet uneasily, looking intently at his feet. Why did he have to forget to put on his top? He really hated getting this sort of attention because of his scars.

While Gordon was also observing Gohan's scars with interest, Delia and Shay's attention was rather caught by the perfectly sculpted muscles of the young warrior's upper body. The girls stared, lips parted, eyes wide, at the magnificent, masculine being that had appeared before them.

Gohan cleared his throat, uncomfortable by the undesired attention he was getting, both from the boys and the girls of Trunks' little group of friends.

"Should you be out at this hour?" he asked the younger Saiyan, hoping that a change of topic would dispel the stares directed his way. Trunks' face twisted into a frown.

"I don't care. Shouldn't I get to have fun too?"

"Hey, I'm not your parent, Trunks, that's not for me to decide," Gohan said in a sympathetic tone, hoping to pacify the boy's mood.

"If you're here to bring me home…" Trunks started, his stance tensing up as he looked up at him defiantly.

Gohan cracked a small smile, his features softening as his gaze turned back to the fighting area where a new match had started. "Nah, I'm here for her."

"Aww…" the girls cooed dreamily.

"How did it go last time?" Delia asked eagerly. "Did you bring her home alright after all?"

His eyes' sparkle dimmed down with discouragement as Gohan kept them trained on the beautiful young woman fighting over there. A small, sad smile curved the corner of his lips. "No," he replied softly. "She didn't want me to, in the end. She's still pushing me away."

Fye and Gordon shared a grin, and Shay, Delia and Meyers cursed under their breaths. Gohan raised an eyebrow at them as the latters all handed a bill to the formers.

"Sorry dude, it's nothing personal," Fye smiled in sympathy at Gohan, pocketing his winning. "But me and Gordon bet with the others that she'd change her mind and go home alone."

Despite the situation, Gohan found himself chuckling in amusement at the group of teens. "At least something less depressing came out of that night, I guess."

"I can't believe her," whined Delia. "I was sooo rooting for you guys, and now I'm sooo disappointed. Man, this sucks."

Gohan patted her frizzy blond head gently, a warm, soft smile curving his lips. "Thanks for the support."

Delia stared up at him, her lips parted and a bright blush streaked across her face. Then she smiled sweetly. "Well, if Devil still won't have you, I'm available."

Gohan scratched behind his ear uneasily, looking to the side, and the boys of the group snickered at his expense.

"Uhh… I'm a bit old for you…" he mumbled awkwardly, and Delia giggled and touched his taut and muscular forearm.

"I'll be eighteen in three years, so you never know," she added with a wink, and Gohan didn't know what to do with himself, feeling dizzy from the rush of blood to his head. Damn, why was he so easy to fluster?

"OH! Devil's won again!" Shay exclaimed. "WOOOH! GO, DEVIL! YOU'RE AWESOME!"

Gohan turned to the fighting area again and frowned slightly, realizing he'd missed how Videl won.

But more importantly, the organizer announced that they would be taking a break, so this was his chance to go talk to Videl – and maybe, hopefully, steal a few kisses here and there. His lips twitched for a smile at the prospect, and his heartbeat picked up.

He pushed his way through the mass of people to get to the far left of the outdoor parking lot, where Videl had found herself a secluded bench against the wall of the building by the parking lot, away from the mass of the crowd. She was wiping her sweaty neck with a towel, holding a cold water bottle in her other hand.

Gohan stopped in his tracks when Videl's previous opponent, Snake, sat down beside her and started talking to her. His throat tightened as Videl didn't glare or ignore the tattooed man, but actually replied to him – and even smiled at him.

Burning jealousy swirled inside of him like the worst of tornadoes. Gohan clenched his fists tightly at his sides and narrowed his eyes at the intruder, feeling a sudden urge to bash his shaved head into the gravel.

Videl drank from her water bottle, and as her line of vision shifted, she caught sight of Gohan standing some distance away, looking ready to murder Snake for hitting on her – and deliciously topless. She let her eyes travel along each perfectly carved swell of his muscles as she lowered the bottle from her lips, feeling her core burn with desire at the sight of his god-like body.

And then she met his intense eyes. Her heart skipped a beat.

"Do you know that guy?" Snake asked her, following her gaze. He shot Gohan a funny look at the murderous glare he got back. "Boyfriend?"

"More like an ex."

Snake smirked. "Wanna make him jealous?"

Videl rolled her eyes. "You just using the opportunity to try and make out with me. I know your type."

"It'd totally work though," Snake grinned. "And you know, you might even like it."

"Mm… Maybe."

Videl observed him in more details, and she had to admit that Snake was good looking, with nice green eyes and rugged, chiseled features. She could even say that she was kind of attracted to him. He was nicely shaped and she liked his tattoos, too – and maybe letting him kiss her wasn't such a bad idea after all. Didn't they say that to get over someone you had to look for the next one? Maybe he could help her get over Gohan, or at least start to get over him. Because so far, nothing was working, and Gohan showing up whenever he liked certainly wasn't making it easier.

"You know what, why not?" she smiled in amusement. "Let's make him jealous."

She was a bit thrown off by the tender way he tucked some loose strands behind her ear, before cupping her face ever so gently. She looked into his dark green eyes and it felt weird and wrong as he moved closer, and Videl swallowed a big lump in her throat, suddenly feeling nervous and reluctant to actually let him kiss her – it felt so wrong and unnatural to let anyone other than Gohan touch her in any way.

But she closed her eyes nonetheless and puckered her lips, forcing herself through it. It was a necessary step in the process of getting over Gohan. Once she tasted fruits from other trees, surely she'd one day come to forget what it was like to be touched by Gohan.

She could feel his breath brushing her lips, and her whole body tensed up. She tried to relax and go with the flow, or at least, endure it for as long as it lasted.

But it didn't even get to begin.

Grabbing the back of Snake's neck, Gohan barely held back as he lifted the tattooed man over the bench and dropped him roughly on the pavement.

"What the hell, man?!" Snake hissed as he swiftly got to his feet and faced the taller fighter. "Can't you see you're interrupting something?"

"Get lost," Gohan gritted out coldly, his eyes blazing with pure, unrestrained rage. "If you know what's good for you, get lost before I let go of the last remains of control I have over myself and fucking _murder_ you for ever touching her."

Something about the way the deeply scarred guy looked at him made Snake do a double take when he'd been about to retort something in protest – they were dead serious, and for some reason Snake truly believed the guy capable of killing him just for trying to kiss his ex.

He shot Videl a confident look, masking his discomfort with a cool act. "Well, that's too bad. It could've been fun," he smirked at her, before turning on his heels and walking away.

Gohan clenched his jaw, glaring at the back of the shaved head of that insolent bastard who had dared try to kiss _his_ Videl. His fists tightened, and then he swiftly turned to Videl, standing beside him with an annoyed expression.

In the blink of an eye he had her cornered against the wall of the building, planting his left palm against the cement on the side of her head. She frowned and crossed her arms beneath her chest, the action pushing her breasts together and bringing out her cleavage in that tight dark green tank top of hers. Gohan found himself both furious at her for purposely trying to kiss another guy in front of him, and incredibly aroused by his position of power and their close proximity.

"How could you…" he hissed breathlessly, his chest heaving. "Right in front of me… Did you think I was going to just let it happen?"

"You had no right to get involved," she growled, frowning deeply up at him. "You have no say in whatever I do, and I can do whatever the fuck I want, with _whomever_ I want."

"Oh yeah?" he gritted out angrily, moving his face closer to her, looking her right in the eye.

"Yeah," she narrowed her eyes at him, having to raise her head to look back at him as he moved closer because he was so much taller than her. "I've told you already, Gohan, we're over, and you turning up isn't going to change my mind. In fact, it's just pissing me off."

That… That little… His emotions were such a whirlwind of anger and lust and indignation and outrage and burning love, he couldn't think straight at all.

So he did the only thing he could think of and kissed her as hard as he could. Videl grabbed his face between her gloved palms and kissed him back almost painfully, arching her back and wrapping her right leg around his hip. His hands seized her ass and he pushed her back onto the wall and pulled her all against his rock hard body, his budding erection pressing hard between her thighs.

She bit his tongue inside her mouth and he grunted, responding by kissing her more fervently than ever, pushing his hips forward to grind his stiff dick against her crotch. She detached her mouth from his to gulp a deep breath of air, and Gohan attacked her neck viciously with his lips and teeth and tongue, while his left hand slipped under her tank top and bra and groped her right breast roughly. She countered by grasping his crotch through his _gi_ pants and applying pressure.

"Are you… Are you gonna… ahh…" she moaned when his right hand slid between her legs around her ass and he rubbed her boldly over her tight jeans. "... Are you gonna fuck me right here in public?"

He paused his ministrations, slowly coming back to his senses. As he became aware of his surrounding, Gohan pulled away and stared deeply into Videl's eyes, blushing brightly and heaving deeply.

"Well, it's not like anyone's paying attention to us," Videl smirked up at him, her hand, still on his crotch, squeezing and rubbing him through the fabric. Gohan let out a long growl, his head lolling down, his forehead pressing to the wall behind her, as his arms wrapped around her and crushed her against him, pushing her further against the wall.

"You're crazy…" he croaked, shivering from her ministration.

"You started it," she murmured in his ear. He swallowed thickly.

"Let's… Let's go somewhere else at least," he forced out, having a hard time catching his breath.

Her eyes gleamed in anticipation.

ooOoo

Gohan could only stare in awe as Videl undressed herself, one garment at a time. She was looking at him intently all the while, slowly moving her hands along her sides as she lifted her tank top over her chest, then over her head, and off. He swallowed, his gaze following the movements of her hands as she bent over to slid her legs out of her knee-length boots, one at the time. She shot him a sultry look as she straightened back up, and then slowly undid the button of her jeans, before lowering the zipper. She turned around, allowing him to watch the denim pants slid off her firm ass. Gohan sucked in a breath.

What was even _happening_?

One moment he was seething with rage and boiling jealousy, and the next he was kissing her and groping her – and now, in some storage room of the building, he was about to have sex with Videl.

His mind was a swirl of confusion and thirst and arousal and – shit, his dick was so hard right now. Still turning her back at him, Videl slowly lowered her underwear along her beautiful, creamy legs. She shot him a smirk over her shoulder, standing up straight again as she unhooked her bra and let it fall on the floor with the rest of her clothes. And Gohan could only stare dumbly as she unlocked her hair and shook her head gracefully, the long, raven tendrils swaying slowly, in an almost hypnotizing way.

Now fully naked – wait, she'd left her high socks on, and damn did she look hot like this – Videl turned around to face him and pulled him all against her. Gohan moaned helplessly, his head rolling backward and his eyes sliding shut when she purposely rubbed his hard cock against her warm and wet lower lips.

His pants had to come off. _Now._ He didn't care about anything right now, only that he _needed_ to claim her as his and thrust himself harder and deeper inside of her.

He opened his eyes and his throat tightened. Gohan swallowed, letting himself be pulled in by her gorgeous blue eyes.

He pushed her against the door, panting heavily. Videl ran her hands along his muscular back, down his sides, then grabbed his ass firmly, pushing her hips forward eagerly.

Gohan dipped his head to kiss her jaw line, then her throat, licking down to her clavicle. He cupped her breasts with both hands and squeezed, enticing a long moan from Videl.

"Go… Gohan…" she heaved breathlessly, groaning when he pinched her nipples. Hearing her moaning his name like this… God, it was driving him mad with desire. He wanted to hear that sound more. He wanted to make her writhe in ecstasy, to make her go crazy from the pleasure, and to make her scream his name over and over.

He got on his knees and suddenly dipped his face between her thighs, his hands squeezing her ass to press her further into his mouth as he ate her out.

And his wish was answered. Videl screamed his name over and over, her fingers tangling in his spiky hair and gripping it tightly. Gohan didn't stop even when he made her come, and Videl was going crazy as he kept going and made her climax again and again.

Her knees wobbled and she slid off the door, whimpering his name as Gohan still didn't stop licking and sucking and nipping and dipping; they ended up on the floor, Gohan's face still deeply buried between her legs. Videl swung her head from side to side, slamming her fist on the floor, and gritting her teeth as she felt yet another orgasm coming.

"G… Gohan… I… I can't anymore… I'm… I'm gonna…" she moaned, her eyes tightly shut, her chest heaving erratically. "Oh fuck…"

She gritted her teeth and hissed and huffed, and then a squeak escaped her lips as she came into his mouth. Gohan drank every last drop of her juice, and then finally raised himself to look at her, wiping his mouth and chin and licking his fingers slowly, not breaking eye contact for even a moment.

Her trembling inner walls tightened suddenly, his dark, intense eyes having all kinds of effects on her. He moved closer and towered over her, kissing her lips sensually as he started undoing his belt, before turning his attention on her neckline. Videl could feel her whole body shivering and burning at the same time from the lightest of his touch, her skin over sensible after climaxing so many times.

"Gohan… At least let me…"

But then she let out a guttural groan when he pushed himself inside of her and started thrusting long and deep. The pleasure was too much – she was going absolutely _insane_ , and that damn fucker was doing it on purpose! Was this his revenge for making him jealous?

He brushed his teeth across her cheek, panting heavily against her skin as he kept thrusting harder and deeper, reveling in the feeling of finally becoming one with Videl – she was his, only his, and nobody else was allowed to touch her. A surge of rage coursed through him as the haunting image of that guy about to kiss Videl, and her _actually letting him_ , blinded his mind once more, and Gohan thrust his hips to and fro even harder, his fingers grasping her ass roughly as his pace grew increasingly erratic and feverish.

Videl suddenly wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist and buried her face in the crook of his neck as she felt another orgasm bursting to let loose. She pressed her lips together and moaned, her hold tightening around him when she felt something explode, just as Gohan let out an animalistic growl and his semen shot out inside of her.

He collapsed on top of her, and neither of them moved, staying connected as their erratic breathing wouldn't calm down. Countless beads of sweat were glistening all over their naked skin as they lay there, on the floor of the storage room.

"My God, Gohan," Videl heaved, sucking in deep breaths. "I've never come so much in my life!"

"That's what you get for making me jealous," he mumbled into her hair. "That was so cruel of you. Don't ever do that again." He moved his lips to her ear and finished in a breathless whisper, "You're mine, Videl. Only mine."

As much as his words were making her stomach flutter, Videl knew she couldn't let Gohan think that this had been anything more than a good fuck. She admitted that she'd needed this, and Gohan had certainly done his part well – he had been fucking incredible, in fact; her tight walls were still twitching and quivering around his dick from all the times he'd made her climax.

But this was all it had been. A good fuck. Okay, so Gohan was the best fuck she'd ever had, no competition, but that was all this had been. She didn't want a relationship with Gohan or with anyone else for that matter, and just because he could drive her insane with pleasure didn't mean she'd changed her mind.

"I'm not," she whispered, closing her eyes as she felt him tense up at her words. "I'm not yours, Gohan. This was just sex."

He buried his nose in her hair once more and sighed tiredly. "Don't… Don't do this to me again…"

"I told you, Gohan," she continued in a hushed voice, forcing the words out despite how much she was hurting Gohan and hating herself because of it. "I don't want to be with you. I don't want to be with anyone. Just because I let you fuck me doesn't mean I've changed my mind."

His arms crushed her naked body against his, his voice trembling. "Damn it, Videl, I hate you so much sometimes. Why are you so damn stubborn? I want to _be_ with you, you stupid girl. Why won't you let us be happy together?"

She pushed him back, coming face to face with his tearful, distraught onyx eyes; Videl looked away and rolled over, finally disconnecting their loving embrace.

"Sorry if I led you on," she muttered, starting to get dressed. "But you should've known better. I told you I won't change my mind."

"Well, neither will I," he retorted defiantly, glaring at her through the searing pain as he pulled his pants back on. "I'll keep coming to see you until I finally win you over."

"Is that so?" she narrowed her eyes at him, arranging her tank top over her.

"I'm not giving up on you, Videl. I can't, and I won't. No matter how long it'll take, I know you won't be able to reject me forever."

"Try me," she shot back at him, picking up one of her boots.

He suddenly pinned her down and pressed his body all against hers. "I will _never_ give up, Videl," he whispered forcefully. "And I know you feel exactly the same way about me as I feel about you. You won't be able to say no to me forever – you need me, as much as I need you."

She scowled at him. "I may need your dick from time to time, but that's all."

He pursed his lips, looking intently into her stubborn blue eyes. Damn it, why couldn't she just give in and let them be happy together? Didn't she realize just how special and rare their bond was? How could she just throw it all away when they could live something so beautiful and grand together? That stupid girl.

He moved off of her and finished putting his boots back on. "I really hate you sometimes," he muttered under his breath.

"Likewise."

He stood, and looked down at her as she finished putting on her left boot. Gohan crossed his arms and watched her, trying to find a breach in her wall to finally make her understand that she was wrong.

"So what now?" he frowned as she got up, her legs a little wobbly. He would've smirked at that if he wasn't feeling so frustrated right now. Videl looked sideways at him.

"Now nothing," she said, her tone unequivocal. But then she smirked up at him viciously. "Unless you want to come by from time to time and fuck my brains out now and again. I do have needs after all."

His jaw slackened. Gohan swallowed thickly, his face flushed with anger and outrage. He narrowed his eyes and started saying, "You… You…" but his blood was boiling so much that he couldn't form a coherent sentence and turned away from her. "Tch."

Furious at himself for letting her use him like this, and at her for rejecting him again and again, he ended up going out of the storage room and slammed the door behind him.

Videl winced at the loud noise. And then her mask dropped, and she hugged herself, her eyes welling up with tears.

"I'm so sorry, Gohan," she breathed helplessly, her voice cracking. "I'm so sorry."

But this had to be done. It was a necessary evil for the better good.

Or so she told herself.

* * *

 _[Credit to TheGodfather93 for writing the fight scene between Videl and Snake. I wonder if any of you noticed that the writing wasn't from me, lol. Also, a big thanks to rockstrone5390 for his continued support during the writing process. ^^_

 _Anyway, thanks so much for reading, a big thanks to those who have left me all those wonderful reviews, and I hope you've enjoyed this extra long chapter! Don't forget to leave me a review – I cannot get enough of those! :D :D ]_

* * *

 _July 30, 2016_


	9. Inevitable

_Chapter Nine: Inevitable_

* * *

The fights had picked up again without her, so Videl just stood aside in the crowd as she waited for the ongoing match to end. She studied the men's fighting styles carefully, keeping in mind that she'd be facing the winner between the current runner-ups.

"There you are!"

Videl turned to the side, offering a small smile to the lovely pink haired girl who was pushing her way through the mass of people to get to her. Her number one fan. The girl's group of friends, among which was that purple haired kid who knew Gohan, weren't far behind.

"Hi!" her fan chirped happily, grinning widely at her. "I'm glad you're still here! I got worried when you didn't show up after the break. I can't wait to see you kick ass some more!"

Videl smirked slightly, but her heart wasn't in it. She tried to push away the images from just mere minutes ago, in that storage room. Her legs were still a little wobbly and her crotch was still sore from the mindblowing sex she'd just had with Gohan.

"Just had something to take care of first," she said, turning away to watch the fight.

A flash of Gohan's resentful and agonizing eyes flickered in her mind, and Videl clenched her fists tightly at her sides, trying to repress the guilt churning and twisting in her stomach.

"Weren't you with Gohan?" Trunks cut in. A glance at him told Videl that he knew something was up. He was frowning deeply and had his arms crossed over his chest; his eyes observed her with unrestrained accusation. "What did you do to him this time?"

Videl turned away again to watch the fight; a dry smile formed on her lips. "That's none of your business, kid."

 _I just broke his heart all over again._

Trunks scowled. He could sense that Gohan was still around, but the troubled and angry vibes his _ki_ gave off weren't the least bit reassuring.

"You hurt him again, didn't you?"

Videl looked at him sideways and shot him a humorless smirk. "You're a smart one, aren't you?"

Delia groaned. "Oh, no, not again!" she complained. "I was sooo rooting for you guys! This is so frustrating, ugh!"

Videl raised an eyebrow at the frizzy blonde, taken aback by the passionate reaction. Then again, teenage girls tended to get pretty emotional, didn't they?

There was a sudden eruption of cheers, and Videl turned back to look at the fighting area. The bigger of the two was down. The winner, crouched over with his hands on his knees, had long green hair pulled back in a low ponytail, and his baggy pants were torn here and there. He was heaving deeply and seemed to have trouble catching his breath. Videl sighed. It was going to be almost too easy. Ah well.

Videl offered the kids a wave before pushing her way through the people in the crowd, and stepped onto the fighting area.

"And the Devil is back!" the organizer of the night shouted to the audience, who roared in approval. "Guess she needed some more time to gather her strength, huh?"

Trunks narrowed his eyes as he watched Videl. "I hate that she's hurt Gohan again. He doesn't deserve this."

"Yeah, and he's such a cutie, too," pouted Delia, crossing her arms. "I wish I was a few years older, that way I would've been able to comfort him. Poor guy."

"I wonder what she did to him this time," Meyers muttered, his eyes distractedly running over Videl's curvy figure in the fighting area. "I feel bad for the guy – although he's still a lucky bastard for all the times he got to kiss Devil."

Trunks made a face, shooing away the image of Gohan and Videl making out from his head.

"He should just let her be," Fye shrugged. "I mean, it's clear that she doesn't want to be with him, though she's obviously crazy about him too."

Gordon hummed thoughtfully. "Wonder why," he muttered, eying Trunks sideways, as if the boy had the answer.

"The only thing I know is that Videl doesn't want to get hurt. I think she's lost everybody she ever cared about, or something like that," Trunks explained, digging his hands in his pockets. And the fact that Gohan could get killed any day in one of his many fights against the cyborgs – but, as much as he liked his new friends, he couldn't tell them that.

"Makes sense, I guess," Fye said distractedly. The fight seemed to be about to start now.

Trunks frowned as he looked on. If only his mom's weapon could be done already, then maybe they could finally get rid of those dreadful machines and bring back the peace on Earth – and then Videl would have no reason to reject Gohan anymore. And Gohan could finally be happy with her.

Damn it, he couldn't stand that Gohan was hurting even more because of her. Damn that Videl!

The young woman in question stood in front of her new opponent, who was still trying to catch his breath. She frowned. She had been hoping for a challenge, but this guy was barely even standing. Hopefully the next one would prove to be a worthy opponent.

"Don't think you can brush me off just yet," Striker smirked, his breathing finally calming down as he fell into a stance, both his fists raised before his face. Videl clicked her tongue impatiently. She could see more than one opening in his stance. This fight was going to be a huge waste of time.

"How about you go gather your winnings and step aside?" Videl crossed her arms. "Or at least take a proper break. Fighting you now would be too easy and a waste of time, and I don't like waste."

Unfortunately, her sensible advice fell on deaf ears. Striker sneered at her, and rushed her with his fist thrown back, aiming to punch her face.

Videl scowled, getting ready to counter attack. "Fine. Suit yourself."

As the sloppy punch flew at her, Videl easily parried it with her left forearm and immediately countered with a swift right to the sternum. The punch took the wind out of him and sent him staggering backwards, breathless.

Seeing this as a chance to decisively end the fight, Videl stepped forward and peppered Striker with several rapid strikes to the chest, all of which the overly proud fighter could do nothing about. She finished her assault with a roundhouse kick that sent the man flying away and crashing onto the hard ground, unconscious.

"Told you," she muttered to the fallen fighter over the roar of cheers. She didn't even break a sweat for this. What a waste of time.

"Alright, alright!" the organizer exclaimed through the loud cheers of the crowd. "So who's gonna be our next challenger? Or are you too chicken to go against the Devil after that easy win?"

Videl's eyes widened as the next challenger got through the crowd to step onto the makeshift ring. She swallowed when he fixated his narrowed eyes at her, obviously still very much furious at her.

"I'm next," Gohan declared, glaring at her darkly.

"Alright!" the organizer shouted with enthusiasm, getting the audience even louder. "And your stage name would be…?" he asked Gohan.

"Majunior," he replied without a blink, not taking his eyes off Videl for even a second.

"What are you doing?" she hissed at him, narrowing her eyes. "If you're going to try to kiss me again…"

"No. I'm going to fight you."

His voice was as cold as his anger was boiling. Videl swallowed nervously, her guilt weighing down her shoulders heavily. How she hated making Gohan suffer. Seeing him in this state was tearing her heart to pieces. If only there could be a way for them… If only she could just give in and let him stay with her, always…

"Gohan, look…" she started, taking a step forward, reaching out to touch his arm. Gohan shrugged her off hastily, as if her touch was burning him.

"Don't… _touch_ me," he spat in disgust.

A lump rose in her throat, and her sight blurred. Videl swallowed her tears and got into a fighting stance, ordering her hands to stop shaking. Gohan simply turned to face her, his arms at his sides, his fists clenched tightly. His eyes hardened.

Her heart was bleeding.

 _Stop looking at me like that,_ she begged in her head. She knew she actually got what she wanted. Gohan looked utterly disgusted with her after how she treated him; there was little chance that after tonight, he was going to come back and try to win her over again.

She rushed him hastily and took a wild swing that was unlike her usual grace. As expected, Gohan easily caught the arm in a firm grip, his eyes narrowing as they locked on hers. Videl gulped at the savage expression, having never experienced that kind of pressure before, and certainly not from the kind, sweet, gentle and loving Gohan. This couldn't be the same person. This couldn't be the man who could ease her heart with just a smile and make her whole body burn with the simplest of touch. This couldn't be Gohan. She bit back tears.

Oh, what had she done to her beautiful Gohan?

He pushed her back harshly, the sheer force of the movement sending her tumbling backwards and landing on her butt. She winced at the sharp pain. She was no stranger to getting hurt, but usually she could at least inflict some pain on her opponent before it happened. This time was different. Gohan was on a whole other level, and she had absolutely no chance against him – she couldn't graze him even if she tried her hardest.

Which didn't mean she wasn't going to try anyway.

Videl jumped to her feet and put on a scowl, hoping to mask the emotional turmoil she was actually feeling. She then rushed at Gohan once more, only this time she varied her approach by striking with a left feint, and then another right. Unfortunately for her, Gohan was quick enough to catch her initial jab. He tightened his grip ever so slightly, and Videl had to stifle a gasp before being pushed backwards once more.

From her position on the ground she gently cradled her bruised fist, and glared up at Gohan. "Having fun?" she spat out venomously as she got to her feet.

"No," he shot back coldly, his eyes narrowing even further.

With a frustrated growl, Videl ran at Gohan and peppered him with a flurry of quick strikes. Much to her ever-increasing fury, Gohan swiftly dodged and blocked each and every punch and kick she threw at him. When she overextended, he sidestepped and swept her foot out from under her, yet again reacquainting her with the ground. Unlike before, Videl lashed out with a wild kick, which Gohan merely stepped back to avoid.

She then leapt up yet again and charged him, fury radiating off her being. She threw another wild punch, and this one was also caught. Unlike before though, Gohan chose to swing his arm up and palm her elbow joint. A stinging pain shot up her arm and she resisted the urge to grab it. This was made even more painful by the fact that she knew Gohan wasn't even trying. Not in the slightest. She was no more dangerous than an insect to him; the endless gap between them was so infuriating.

With her right arm still trapped, she aimed a kick in between his legs, but he simply deflected it with his foot and countered with a light hook to her ribs. The blow lifted her off her feet and sent her crashing to the ground on her side.

"You know, this is probably what I feel like when they beat me down again and again," he remarked, his eyes cold as ice. "Sometimes, I stay down and they leave me be. You should follow my example."

"Not a chance in hell," Videl gritted out, forcing herself to get back up.

"Fine by me."

Once she was back on her feet, panting from exertion, Videl dashed at Gohan for what felt like the hundredth time. Wanting to try something new, she leapt up from the ground and extended her leg, aiming to strike Gohan's head with a flying kick. However, this too was as useless as before, for he casually caught her foot like it was a baseball, holding her in place for a few seconds as though to demonstrate his overwhelming strength. Before Videl could struggle further, Gohan slammed her to the ground like a hammer.

It felt like the life was knocked right out of her lungs as intense pain shot out through every inch of her body and bits of pavement cracked from the violent impact. She gritted her teeth as she attempted to get back up, paying no heed to the jolting pain she was experiencing. Before she could get even an inch off the ground however, Videl felt something heavy weigh down on her stomach.

"Just stay down already," Gohan muttered, his foot keeping her in place.

"Fuck you," she hissed up at him.

"You already did that."

Her eyes were welling up, both from the physical and the emotional pain Gohan was inflicting on her. She hated seeing the anger and resentment in his onyx eyes. This wasn't the look she was used to. This wasn't the Gohan she knew.

This was the Gohan she'd tormented and crushed. This was the Gohan whose heart was torn beyond repairs after the way she treated him.

She broke him. He was broken. Utterly and irremediably broken. And it was all her fault.

"Stop trying to get back up and just _stay down_ , you stubborn woman," Gohan hissed irritatedly. "Why are you so stubborn? Ugh."

A cry of pain escaped her lips as he put more pressure on her stomach. Videl closed her eyes tightly and gritted her teeth. Shit. This hurt like hell. How could he be so unbelievably strong? Why was the gap between them so incommensurable? Why was she so weak?

"Stop it already!" a young voice broke out from the crowd. The pressure on her stomach lessened as Gohan turned to the intruder; Trunks suddenly jumped out from the crowd and rushed at Gohan and then struck him with a roundhouse kick to the face, effectively pushing him off Videl.

For the first time since the beginning of the fight, Gohan was down. Trunks rushed to Videl's aid and helped her up. She winced at her aching limbs.

"Are you alright?" Trunks asked her in genuine concern. "Geez, what's gotten into Gohan…? I can't believe he hurt you like that…"

"I hurt him first," she muttered, glancing at the man in question as he slowly got back up, massaging his jaw slightly.

"Um, kid…" the organizer blabblered uneasily. "You're not supposed to get in the way of the fight…"

"It's fine," Gohan said coldly. "I forfeit."

Videl watched him walk away, disappearing in the mass of confused people, a lump rising in her throat. She tried to swallow it, but instead a few tears managed to escape her eyes and roll down her cheeks, dripping down her chin and blotching the ground at her feet.

"Videl…" Trunks whispered helplessly, touching her arm in comfort.

She turned to him and tried to smile at the boy, but the tears still wouldn't stop. "Thanks for your help, kid," she said, her voice cracking, patting his head in affection. "You truly are Gohan's protégé."

Then she turned away and walked into the crowd as well, pushing her way to get through. She winced at the searing pain shooting through her now and then, but pushed herself to keep going.

She couldn't bear the way Gohan had looked at her. She couldn't take it, she couldn't accept it. As much as this was exactly what she'd meant to happen, actually seeing Gohan suffering so immensely was simply unbearable. She had to do something. Videl didn't know what, but she knew she had to do something. She had to go after him. She had to do something.

When she finally got through the masses, Videl quickly turned her head left and right in search of a tall, topless, dark haired man. She quickly caught sight of him, his hands in his pockets, his shoulders slumped, dragging his feet as he walked away.

"Gohan!" she called after him and started running towards him. He turned around and frowned, but Videl just kept going. He turned away again and ignored her when she called out to him again.

She grabbed his wrist, but he swiftly turned around and shrugged her off. " _What?_ "

A tiny smile tugged at her lips as she grabbed his face between her palms, breathing out, "That's my line," before kissing him.

She could feel his confusion and reluctance to kiss her back at first, but Gohan soon melted and wrapped his arms around her waist, and Videl lost herself completely into him. Her heart started to mend ever so slowly from the gentle way Gohan kissed her and touched her cheek, tucking away the longer strands framing her face behind her ear. She let out a sigh into his mouth from the pleasure. Oh God, why did it feel so fucking _good_ every time they kissed? Why couldn't it get old already? How was she supposed to push him away when she craved for his touch as much as she needed air?

When they pulled back from the kiss, Videl had to resist her urge to reach up for his lips again and taste him some more.

"I'm so, so sorry, Gohan," she murmured breathlessly, keeping her eyes closed. "I'm so sorry…"

She forced herself to detach herself from him, and Gohan stared at her helplessly. She turned away from his puppy eyes and swallowed thickly. Oh God, this was torture. And she'd just made everything worse by acting impulsively.

Videl started to walk away, but then Gohan caught her wrist and brought her to him once again, planting his lips on hers in desperation. Videl couldn't do anything to stop him – she just melted, wrapping her arms around his back to pull him closer.

"You're so confusing," he breathed, pressing his forehead against hers.

"I know, right?" she smiled sadly, keeping her eyes closed. If only they could just stay like this. If only nothing else existed but this moment – just Gohan and her, in a loving embrace. Forever.

"So what now?" he whispered anxiously, burying his nose in the crook of her neck. "You're going to push me away again?"

She swallowed. "Gohan…"

His hold around her tightened. "Damn it, Videl, why did you go after me and kiss me if it's just to reject me all over again afterwards? Why are you doing this to me over and over again?"

"I'm just trying to protect myself…" she sighed in dejection. "But I just couldn't take seeing you in so much pain. I'm so sorry, Gohan."

"I just want to be with you," he mumbled against her neck. "Is that so much to ask?"

Her heart tightened. "Afraid so."

But Gohan still didn't let go, keeping his arms tightly bound around her, but still carefully enough so as not to hurt her sore body.

"Gohan…" she sighed again.

"I can't. I need you too much. I can't let go," he muttered stubbornly.

"Please… Please, just let go. I'm not worth it."

"Yes you are," he retorted heatedly. "You're worth the sky, the stars, the moon, the sun. You're worth everything and more. You're the most beautiful person I've ever met. I need you in my life, Videl. I don't want to let go. I can't."

"You have to," she said, with more confidence. "I don't want to be with you, Gohan."

He winced at the painful words, and then sighed in defeat, finally letting go of her and straightening up. "I'm not giving up, though," he murmured, looking her in the eye.

"Neither will I," she replied softly, turning away from him. The wound in her heart widened, and more blood spilled out. Videl winced. Damn it, she couldn't do it. It hurt too much. She didn't even _want_ to reject Gohan.

Fuck. _She wanted to be with him_. Why couldn't they just be together?

"Goodbye, Gohan," she forced out, starting to walk away.

He didn't say anything in reply, and Videl had to will herself not to turn around and look at him one last time.

Well, since Gohan still wouldn't give up on her, this most likely wasn't the last she'd ever see him. Shit. Would she even be able to reject him next time? Or the one after that?

This was not looking good.

ooOoo

All of a sudden Trunks realized what exactly he had just done, and that he'd had an audience. More importantly – that his friends were among his audience.

Nervously, Trunks shifted his gaze to the five teenagers, and unsurprisingly, they were all gaping at him and staring at him with wide, shocked eyes.

Well, there goes his cover.

Still, Trunks didn't regret cutting Videl and Gohan's fight short. Gohan had gone way too far, and whatever Videl had done to him or how much she hurt him, she didn't deserve to be humiliated and tossed around like a rag doll. Gohan may have a right to be angry, but he should never use his powers against a human in such a way. It was just wrong, and Trunks was glad he'd been able to put an end to it.

He looked down at his shoes, growing more and more nervous at the looks he was getting from the crowd and more especially, from his friends. Slowly, he walked back into the circle of people and pushed his way through to get to his friends, while behind him, two more fighters got into the makeshift ring and introduced themselves. As he joined his group and the crowd got wild once again, Shay grabbed his forearm and led him out of the mass of people, the others following right after them.

Well, here goes nothing.

"Okay Trunks, now spill," Shay said when they got to a calmer spot, somewhere with benches by the building.

"Um…" Trunks looked sideways and rubbed his neck uneasily, a habit he picked up from Gohan.

To be honest, the Saiyan boy wasn't even sure _what_ he should tell his friends. For one thing, he hadn't known them for very long, and while he thought he could trust them, that didn't mean they _should_ know the whole story. And then, most of it would be about Gohan, and Trunks didn't feel it would be right of him to tell others about his friend's life without him knowing.

But he had to tell them _something_. Now the question was: what the hell _could_ he tell his friends?

"Come on, Trunks," Fye cut in, crossing his arms. "You can't play innocent after what we just saw you do."

"Yeah I mean," Meyers added, "Devil could do nothing against that guy and you just like, kicked him down out of nowhere. Like, what the fuck was that?"

Gordon nodded in agreement, sitting down on a bench, and looking at him expectantly. So did everyone else, for that matter. Trunks gave a nervous smile.

"Well, you see…" He gulped. "Gohan is kinda my martial arts teacher…"

Alright, that was good. And it was one hundred percent truth, too. Trunks could've patted himself on the back – it pretty much explained _everything_.

Or not.

Delia eyed him suspiciously. "Yeah, okay… But how come you guys are so strong? I mean…" She shared a look with the others.

"Even Devil was powerless against him," frowned Shay. "And she's the best fighter I've ever seen – and I've seen _a lot_ of them. Who _is_ that Gohan guy?"

Trunks sighed, his shoulders slumping. Now what? Only the truth could explain everything, but Gohan would never want them to know who they really were. He wouldn't even give his name to the doctors who would take care of him now and then after a particularly violent fight against the cyborgs, so surely he wouldn't want some teens knowing about him – even if they were Trunks' friends.

"I don't know what to tell you guys," he muttered, keeping his eyes to the ground. "Gohan is kinda like… a prodigy, I guess, and he's been teaching me everything he knows since always."

Silence followed. The teens watched Trunks carefully, a little doubtful still, trying to make sense of what just happened in the fighting area out there. Finally, the silence was broken – by none other than the usually quiet one of the group.

"Say… His clothes…"

Trunks tensed up, his eyes widening at the brown haired boy. Damn it, why couldn't Gohan wear something else than that same orange _gi_ when he went out in public? No wonder some people would make the connection!

"Wh… What about them?" Trunks asked uneasily, sweating bullets.

"Yeah, Gordon, what do you mean?" Shay asked him, tapping her foot. Delia widened her eyes in realization.

"Oh, wait…" she whispered in disbelief. "Oh, God… Oh my fucking God, you don't mean… Gordon, you're a genius!"

"So it's him, isn't it?" Gordon asked Trunks, being unusually chatty all of a sudden. "He's that guy who's always fighting the cyborgs. And you're the kid who's fought them alongside him now and then, right?"

Now everyone turned to look at Trunks and gaped at him, and he just stared at Gordon in shock, looking like a deer caught in the headlight. How…? Since when was Gordon so cunning? Well, okay, Trunks always felt the guy was kinda smart, but geez! He'd just figured everything out like some friggin' detective!

Trunks scratched his hair nervously. Well, cat was out of the bag now. "How did you figure it out?"

"Oh my God, so it's true?" Shay exclaimed in disbelief, whipping her head back and forth between Trunks to Gordon.

"Holy shit," Fye breathed out, collapsing on the bench next to Gordon. Meyers and Delia were still gaping at Trunks.

Gordon watched the purple haired boy in silence for a few moments. "I saw him once," he finally said. "Gold hair and all. I thought he looked familiar, last time. And he was wearing that same orange and blue gear."

Trunks cracked an awkward smile. "Yeah, that wasn't too smart of him, was it?"

"His scars make a lot more sense now," Meyers muttered thoughtfully.

"Wait," Delia suddenly said. "So you can turn your hair gold, too?"

The poor half Saiyan slumped his shoulders. Geez, he couldn't catch a break, could he?

ooOoo

Trunks frowned at the pitiful sight before him. Merciless, he grabbed the covers and swiftly pulled them off the young man still in bed well into the afternoon.

"Get up already, you lazy bum," he scolded. "I want to train."

"Leave me alone," Gohan mumbled, grabbing his pillow and hiding his head under it. "Go train alone."

Trunks crossed his arms and tapped his foot impatiently. "How are you ever going to beat the cyborgs if you don't get stronger?"

"Not now," Gohan's muffled voice replied in bad faith. "Don't feel like doing anything. Just leave me be."

His frown deepened as he watched the boxers-clad man hiding under his pillow. Man, he knew Gohan was hurting since the other night at the street fights, but geez, it's been over a week already, and moping like that wasn't going to help. Shouldn't Gohan only try harder to train and get stronger at this point so that he could be with Videl once he killed the cyborgs?

"So you're just gonna stay in bed all day again?" Trunks said in disapproval.

"Yeah," Gohan replied, his head still buried under the pillow.

Trunks scowled. "Well, just so you know, my friends figured out who you are."

He turned on his heels to leave, but then Gohan suddenly shot up out of the pillow. Trunks smirked to himself and turned around again to face the gaping young man.

"W- _What_?"

Trunks quirked an eyebrow at him. "You didn't think people would make the connection when you're always wearing the same _gi_?"

Gohan looked down and scratched his hair, sitting cross-legged. "Ah. Right."

Then the boy frowned. "About that night – what the hell came over you?"

"Stop cursing," Gohan said like a reflex, his shoulders slumping. "I don't know. She just hurt me really really bad and I guess…" he heaved a deep sigh, before continuing in a whisper. "I guess I wanted to hurt her back."

Trunks tapped his foot thoughtfully. While this did make sense, he had trouble believing Gohan would react that strongly. That girl sure did a number on him, huh. Looking at Gohan right now and seeing how much he was suffering, it didn't make Trunks want to fall in love someday. Maybe Videl had a point. Love stuff only seemed to make things more painful, so why bother?

"I'm glad you stopped me," Gohan added after a while. "I really got crazy out there…"

Trunks walked over and sat down beside his friend, patting his back in comfort. "Yeah you did," he smiled. Gohan shot him a sideways glance, cracking a small smile.

Then he let out a resigned sigh. "So your friends know about us, huh?"

Trunks chuckled awkwardly. "Afraid so."

"But they won't tell anyone else, right?"

"Yeah. They're cool."

"Wait," Gohan sat up straight suddenly. "Did you tell them about the alien thing too?"

"I just said it was something genetic we had in common," Trunks shrugged.

Gohan relaxed his shoulders. "Ah, good."

Trunks let some time pass in silence, before asking, "You sure you don't want to train with me? It's always more effective when it's the two of us."

Gohan gave him an apologetic smile. "Sorry kiddo, but I really don't feel like it today. I'll train you tomorrow, okay? And I'll make it extra hard to make up for lost time. How's that sound?"

The boy nodded his head, offering a kind smile to his older friend. "Yeah. Sounds good."

ooOoo

She wasn't sure whether she was hoping or dreading to see Gohan turn up once more. In any case, Videl couldn't help searching for him in the crowd or in dark corners, trying to catch a glimpse of orange.

It had already been weeks, and Gohan had yet to show up again. Was that how he wasn't giving up?

Videl frowned at herself. She should be glad he hadn't come back yet – and she should definitely _stop_ hoping to see him again. Like, seriously. It would only hurt the both of them more and wouldn't amount to anything. It was better this way. Gohan needed to stay away from her, and who knows, maybe this time he actually would. As much as she wanted to hope that he wouldn't be showing up again, Videl always found herself berating herself for hoping the opposite.

It was all so confusing. She missed him too much – oh God, she missed him so fucking much. She couldn't stop thinking about his sad eyes, and his adorable smile – or his sexy smirk. And his beautifully carved muscles, his delicious lips, his calloused hands – touching her, grabbing her, pulling her to his rock hard body.

She missed feeling him inside of her, making her whole again – bringing her more pleasure than she ever thought imaginable before she met him.

She missed his eyes – his gentle, loving eyes, watching her intently as he kept thrusting back and forth, making her writhe in ecstasy and clutch to him tight and reach for more kisses.

Shit. She missed him way too much – and she was making herself horny thinking about him fucking her. As if that wasn't enough.

"Hi!" chirped a now familiar voice. Videl lifted her head to offer a mild smile to the pink-haired teenage girl.

"Shay, right?" Yep. She remembered her fan's name this time.

Shay beamed, and sat down beside her hero. "Yep yep! Can I call you Videl?"

"Sure," Videl smiled. She looked around. "Where are your friends tonight?"

"Not here yet, but they're coming, of course. We all love to watch you fight – you're so awesome!"

Videl smirked. "Can't say I'm not."

Shay giggled into her hand. But then she looked around nervously, biting down on her lip. "... You think that Gohan guy is gonna show up again?" she asked in a low voice, looking at Videl out of the corner of her eye. "It's been a while since last time…"

"I hope not," Videl said half-heartedly, her lower lip puckering out.

Shay smiled knowingly. "Is that so?"

Despite herself, a faint blush spread across Videl's cheeks. "Shut up."

Shay just kept smiling happily, overjoyed to be actually hanging out with her role model as if they were friends. Her eyes lit up at the thought.

"Say," she started suddenly, "what is it like to be in love?"

Friends talked about that kind of stuff, right?

Videl frowned, looking ahead in the distance. "It's a pain in the ass."

The teen guffawed, throwing her head back. "I knew you'd say something like that!" she laughed.

The female fighter found herself smiling at the girl. "Well, it's the truth."

"But it can't be all bad, right?" Shay grinned, her eyes shining with mirth.

"Well, no, it's not," she conceded. "The sex was mindblowing, for one thing," Videl smirked at the girl, staring at her with wide eyes. It was always fun to shock people with crude words.

"That's… good to know…?" Shay asked more than said, clearly embarrassed. Videl smiled.

"And we've made some good memories, too." She sighed in melancholy. "It was just so… _easy_ , to be with him. We'd have so much fun just hanging out, doing nothing in particular." Videl sighed again.

The girl sitting next to her frowned. "Then why do you keep pushing him away?"

Now it was Videl's turn to furrow her brow. "It's complicated."

There was some silence. And then out of the blue–

"Is it because he keeps fighting the cyborgs?"

The young woman raised her eyebrows in surprise, staring at the pink haired girl. "How do you know that?"

She shrugged. "Gordon kinda figured it out, and Trunks confirmed," she explained. "So, is that it?"

Videl turned to look ahead aimlessly once more. "More or less."

"Hmm, that's too bad," Shay said, looking up at the night sky. She liked it when the street fights happened outdoors; it was always nice to look at the sky. "What's the saying again? It's better to have loved and lost, than to have never loved at all – right?" she finished, turning to Videl once again. But her role model only scowled at that, staring intensely straight ahead of her.

"That saying is wrong. I'd rather forget about him and not suffer so much." She stood suddenly and frowned at Shay. "I'm going to warm up."

The pink haired girl made a face as she watched her hero walk away, clearly upset at her. Ah, well. Friends disagreed from time to time too, right? She smiled to herself, humming softly. Was she Videl's friend now? Man, that would be so cool! The woman was still pretty cold, but Shay figured that was just how she was, and she didn't really mind either way. Videl was just so cool, and besides, she wasn't that much older than herself. They could be friends. They were becoming friends – right?

Her smile turned into a grin. Yep. She was going to become Videl's best friend. Just you watch.

ooOoo

His brow furrowed in concentration, Trunks fixed his eyes on an imaginary opponent and exhaled sharply, getting ready to attack. He assumed a basic stance, before lunging forward with a punch. The invisible fighter sidestepped the blow, but the young Saiyan merely shifted his feet and launched another punch. Trunks unleashed a series of rhythmic moves upon his adversary, anticipating his counters as he would a real opponent. After a few moments of this methodical shadow boxing, he jumped back and thrust his hands forward, sending forth a precise _ki_ blast at the invisible foe. This caused the shadowy figure to take to the air in an attempt to avoid the attack, so Trunks simply thrust his arms up and directed the blast upwards, trailing after his imaginary opponent like a rocket homing in on its target.

Imagination was good and all, but when was Gohan going to join him already? Trunks had been waiting for his friend for a while and the older fighter had yet to show up for their training session. Trunks clicked his tongue impatiently, and then he soared upwards and released a flurry of furious strikes, venting out his frustration at his invisible opponent. Ever since Gohan had fallen for that Videl girl, he seemed to have less and less time to spend with Trunks, and it was infuriating because Gohan hadn't even been seeing Videl much in all this time. Hadn't it been like, almost a year already? How much longer was this going to keep up? How much longer did Gohan need to mend his broken heart? Trunks started to believe that Videl was right, and that they'd better stop seeing each other altogether to give themselves time to heal and move on.

Gohan needed to move on already. This situation couldn't go on like this.

Now high up in the air, Trunks and his shadowy opponent engaged in a close-quarters exchange of various strikes and blocks. Neither fighter was giving an inch, until the young Saiyan decided to switch things up by flaring his _ki_ in a short burst, creating an invisible shockwave that put some distance between the pair. Trunks then dashed forward with his fist pulled back, until a flicker of familiar energy tickled the back of his mind, causing him to stop mid-punch.

Gohan's _ki_ burst out. Trunks turned towards the direction he could sense his friend in, a prickle of worry dropping in his gut. Gohan was fighting them again. "Shit," he cursed under his breath.

In the blink of an eye Trunks shot off faster than a bullet, his hair turning bright gold as he broke through the sky. "Damn it, damn it!" he gritted out, his fists clenching tightly. Gohan's _ki_ was dropping, and _fast_. The cyborgs weren't kidding around today.

"Shit!" Did they have to attack a city so far away from him? Gohan needed his help, damn it!

ooOoo

The familiar crackling noise of the radio caught her attention, and Shay frowned as she walked closer to the device on the kitchen counter, hitting it a few times to make it work better. She took it in her hands and stared at it intently, distractedly walking back to the living room. As she sat down on the sofa, a female voice started speaking from the radio.

" _This is Sam Galaden on News 24/7. We just had word that the cyborgs are currently attacking Art City. Fortunately, our mysterious golden fighter is also on the scene, and a lot of civils were able to escape thanks to him distracting the cyborgs."_

Shay swallowed thickly, growing more and more nervous. Was Videl listening to the news right now, too? She must be worried sick about Gohan… Geez, no wonder she didn't want to be with him and live in constant worry. Maybe she did have a point…

"That's Gohan fighting, right?" Delia whispered. Shay tore her gaze from the radio and looked up at her roommate standing in the doorway.

" _Things aren't looking too good for our young hero, however…"_ the reporter said gravely. " _The cyborgs seem to be lashing out at him more violently than usual today… The reporter at the scene, Rob Goon, informed me that they started attacking the city after losing at some arcade games."_

" _Indeed,"_ a low male voice replied. " _This is Rob Goon, reporting from the battlefield. I am situated some distance from the current fight, and it is so violent and savage that the ground is shaking."_

" _Have the people been able to escape to safety, Rob?"_ Sam asked.

" _Unfortunately, a lot of them were killed before the arrival of our golden fighter, but most of the survivors were able to get away in time. Some were not so lucky…"_

" _After a decade of constant loss, we cannot even begin to count how many lives were so ruthlessly taken by those twin monsters. Their sole motive is apparently to just "have fun". They are truly soulless,"_ the woman on the radio said bitterly.

Delia sat down next to Shay on the sofa, both girls staring intently at the radio set. "Gohan's going to make it, right?"

"Of course," Shay replied quickly, refusing to believe otherwise. "He's so unbelievably strong, he'll be fine."

They could even hear faint noises from the fight, on Rob Goon's side of the line. The girls suddenly winced when they heard a guttural cry of agony. Delia's eyes welled up and her chin quivered. "He's going to be fine, right?"

Shay held her friend's hand tightly, staring intently at the radio in her other hand. "I know he'll be alright. He has to be."

She couldn't even begin to imagine what Videl must be feeling right now, listening to this. She must be a wreck. It broke her heart thinking how much Videl must be suffering right now. It tore her apart to think that Gohan could very well not make it this time…

" _Wait… Oh! The boy with golden hair just headbutted 17 into 18!"_ Rob exclaimed excitedly.

Delia and Shay looked at each other with wide eyes at that. "Trunks…" they both whispered in worry and dread, their joined hands holding onto each other tightly. If even Trunks felt like he had to get involved in the fight, then the situation on the battlefield must be seriously bad.

"Girls, turn it off," a stern voice ordered. Both teens looked up pleadingly at the tall blonde young man, who crossed his arms over his chest in an imposing way. "We know that the cyborgs are far enough from here, so you don't need to listen to any more of it." He walked over to them and swiftly snatched the radio set from Shay's weak hold.

"Hey!" Delia exclaimed in protest as her older brother turned off the radio. "Not cool, Fred!"

"Yeah! Our friend is fighting right now, you know!" Shay added, standing up to try and get her radio back. "And that's mine, by the way!" But Fred only lifted his arm to keep it out of the way. He frowned down at Shay.

"What do you mean, your friend is fighting?" he asked.

Shay grunted in frustration and glared up at Fred, putting her hands on her hips. "You know, Trunks? I've told you about him. Well turns out he's the kid who's been fighting the cyborgs alongside the golden haired fighter – whom we've met too, by the way."

"Now give it back, Fredrick," Delia scowled up at her brother, standing next to Shay.

He raised an eyebrow, observing the girls skeptically. "Are you for real?"

They both groaned in frustration, "Yes!"

"Now give it back already!" Delia pressed on, reaching up for the radio. But she was rather short, shorter than Shay, and her brother was a fucking giant. Stupid genetics.

"Fine…" Fred finally gave in, though still looking a bit unsure. He lowered his arm and Delia snatched the radio back and turned it back on before he could hand it back to her.

"Geez, finally!" Shay said, listening intently to the news.

"Ass," Delia muttered under her breath, shooting him a dark look before turning back to the radio.

He rolled his eyes. "Is that what I get for taking care of my little sister for all these years?"

But he got nothing in response. Shaking his head to himself, Fred sat down on an armchair adjacent to the couch and leaned back comfortably, listening to the news as well. So the kid who was fighting right now was actually a friend of the girls'? Geez, what were the odds?

ooOoo

"I'm too kind to my sister," 17 commented, smirking to himself as he watched 18 take on both Super Saiyans at once.

It had been a while since Trunks had joined in on the fun, and while the kid wasn't strong enough yet to pose a challenge, he was certainly entertaining. His daddy would've been so proud, the black haired cyborg snickered to himself.

A double takedown attempt was foiled when 18 vaulted over Gohan and Trunks and banged their heads together. 17 couldn't help but chuckle at the sight, and at the infuriated looks on the Saiyans' faces. The pair usually worked quite well together, which the cyborg figured was reflective of how much they trained together. Unfortunately for them though, teamwork meant nothing when they were such inferior beings compared to him and his sister.

There was also the fact that Gohan wasn't the most pleased with his little protégé's interference, which was somewhat hampering their ability as a tag team. Not that it would've made a difference though.

"Damn it Trunks, you shouldn't have come here!" Gohan scolded as he attacked 18 with a rapid flurry of punches and kicks.

"What did you expect me to do when I felt your _ki_ flaring up?" Trunks shot back in frustration, sloppily mixing in his strikes with his mentor's.

Avoiding the combined assault was child's play for 18, as she seamlessly weaved and dodged their strikes, an ever-present smirk gracing her features. The fact that she didn't even have to use her hands to block must've hurt the Saiyans' pride just as badly as the physical punishment she dished out.

"Now, now, Gohan, that's not very fair," 18 chided. "If Trunks wants to come and play too, you shouldn't stop him. After all, two Saiyans is better than one."

17 barked out a laugh. Both he and his sister got a kick out of regularly taunting Gohan and Trunks. Watching their faces scrunch up in fury as they attempted to fight back was always entertaining to see. Human emotions were so fickle, and so easy to manipulate.

"Go screw yourself you ugly wench!" Gohan retorted, responding to 18's verbal jab with a _ki_ blast to the face. In the brief moment it took the smoke to dissipate, Trunks landed a hammerfist blow to 18's head, sending the cyborg plummeting to the ground like a meteor.

"Masenko!" shouted the two Saiyans as they fired identical beams of bright yellow _ki_ at the falling woman. The subsequent explosion masked what had happened to 18, but the thunderous cracking of cement was enough indication that she had collided with the ground.

17 merely shook his head mirthfully. "Oh, Gohan, you silly boy, you've really done it this time," he chuckled under his breath.

The two Saiyans hovered in the air with their hands outstretched, surveying the wreckage down below. They were both panting; Gohan more so than Trunks due to his earlier beating. Neither of them looked too pleased about what they had just pulled off. They knew it wouldn't be nearly enough to put 18 down for good.

The ground rumbled, and a sudden flare of energy blew away the smoke that was obscuring the crash site. When the smoke faded, it revealed 18 standing in the crater, her jacket now torn and tights tattered. Her hands were clenched into fists and a vicious scowl marred her features. "You called me ugly…" she ground out through gritted teeth, glaring up at her opponents. "Then you ruined my clothes and makeup… you'll pay for this!"

With a fierce battle cry, 18 shot up from the ground like a rocket and smashed a fist into Gohan's gut, causing the Saiyan to bowl over and spit out a glob of blood. She then grasped one hand tightly around his neck while slapping him twice with her other hand.

Trunks charged at 18 with a pulled back fist, but the cyborg simply raised her foot in defense, spearing the young Saiyan in the stomach. With that same leg, she knocked him away with a quick crescent kick and turned her attention back to Gohan. "Your little friend can't save you from me, you insolent worm," she muttered, tightening her grip on his neck for good measure.

18 then proceeded to hammer Gohan with several heavy blows to the body, each one eliciting a gasp of pain from the man. She was halted in her assault when she felt the familiar warmth of a _ki_ blast crash into her back. It didn't hurt, of course, but it did annoy her. She then let out an uncharacteristic shriek when she felt a sharp burning on her scalp. A bleeding Gohan had taken full advantage of 18's lapse of concentration to grab her hair and and and attempt to rip it out of her skull. His hands then clasped her head and thrust it down onto his rising knee.

A sickening crack reverberated through the area as 18's nose made contact with Gohan's knee. The attack caused the cyborg to bring her hands up to her face, but that just left the rest of her body open, which Gohan took full advantage of. He swept her feet out from under her, and followed that up with a downwards stomp that sent 18 shooting towards the ground, forming another crater upon impact. Before she could get her bearings, she was forced to gasp in shock as a diving elbow from Trunks slammed into her throat.

What followed after was the pair of airborne Saiyans unleashing a gattling gun-like barrage of _ki_ blasts at the downed cyborg, further decimating the ground level of the ruined city and creating an enormous smoke cloud.

17 looked on with a raised eyebrow, impressed by Gohan and Trunks' persistence. Their latest attack wasn't enough to even scratch 18, but knocking her down was still a remarkable feat. The pair's ability to take advantage of his sister's bouts of weakness was spectacular. Perhaps in a few years time, their Saiyan playthings might actually make for decent sparring partners… if they survived that long, that is.

As the visibly weary Gohan and Trunks observed the aftermath of their attack, the older of the two looked to his student and gave him a brief smile. "Thanks for the help."

Trunks couldn't help but smile back. "Still wish I hadn't co-" He was interrupted mid-sentence by the fist of 18, who had sped out of the smoke like a cannonball and struck him with a savage punch to his sternum. As the breathless boy hunched over in shock and pain, 18 split his forehead with a brutal headbutt and kneed him in the chin. She then grabbed him by the leg and swung him headfirst into the gut of the onrushing Gohan, knocking the wind out of the older Saiyan.

While Gohan was stunned, 18 let loose a large _ki_ blast into Trunks' torso that sent the boy hurtling into the distance, and crashing into a half-levelled skyscraper. The already ruined building shook from the impact, and subsequently collapsed on top of him.

"Trunks!" Gohan cried out, before turning to the female cyborgs with gritted teeth, hatred radiating from his aura.

18 was then forced to raise a hand and catch Gohan's fist, which was aimed at the back of her head. Once it was in her grip, she squeezed the hand mercilessly, relishing the Saiyan's cry of agony at having his bones crushed. "Don't you know it's rude to hit someone when their back is turned? Especially a lady?"

"You're no lady… you're a monster!" Gohan gritted out to 18's displeasure. Before she could respond, he leaned forward and sank his teeth into her wrist. The cyborg cried out in pain and let go of his hand to cradle her own.

Gohan took this chance to raise his hand and slam his palm into the side of 18's face. Unfortunately for him, all that did was tilt her head to the side. She then grasped him by the ears and began butting against his forehead with hers. "You… disgusting… little… monkey," she spat out, accentuating each word with another headbutt. "You sicken me! And for the record, this is how you slap someone!" With that 18 lifted her hand and landed a thunderous smack upon Gohan's cheek. The blow sent the Saiyan's head forcefully flying to the side, his body following suit.

However, 18 wasn't done with her assault. She easily caught up to her foe and grabbed his face, digging her fingers into his soft flesh. With her grip firm, she then thrust her hand downwards and rocketed towards the ground, using Gohan's body like a battering ram to break the pavement. All the wounded Saiyan could do was gasp faintly.

With a sadistic smile spread across her face, 18 grabbed Gohan by the neck and lifted him out of the crater she made, holding his bruised body up like a trophy. His hair had reverted back to its natural black, and his already bloody face had several new scratches added to the bunch, most notably where her sharp digits had pierced his skin. His eyes were just barely staying open, and 18 was able to make out the pure hate radiating within his onyx orbs. Her grin widened at that. She felt the same way about him.

Gohan's _gi_ was torn to near shreds, with his orange pants looking more like tattered shorts than anything. His muscular torso was completely bare, and 18 wasted no time in gleefully running her eyes over her handiwork. Deep gashes marred his well-defined chest, and sickening blue bruises stained his abs and ribs. His arms hung limply by his sides.

18's gaze stayed on his body for a few more seconds before she grasped him by the hair and flew over to the destroyed building she had thrown Trunks into. "You're looking a bit worse for wear," she taunted wickedly. "Hopefully your little friend can help you out." With that she hurled Gohan's battered body into the wreckage and floated higher into the air. "I've had fun playing with you, but now I'm bored. Let's see you get yourself out of this!"

From her spot in the sky, 18 thrust out her hands and fired an unrelenting barrage of _ki_ blasts at where her downed opponents were, further burying them beneath the rubble. She then felt the familiar presence of her brother come up beside her and questioningly quirked a brow at him.

"Don't look at me like that. I couldn't let you have all the fun," 17 grinned, before peppering the ruined city with countless _ki_ blasts of his own.

18 merely shrugged and continued her assault.

Underneath the ruined building, a heavily injured Gohan had mustered enough strength to crawl over to his young friend, who was unconscious, and cover the boy's smaller body with his own. As he felt his back burn from 18's searing hot _ki_ blasts, he shut his eyes tightly and prayed to any god out there that he lived through this. He couldn't die… not yet. The world still needed him. Trunks still needed him. He still needed Videl…

ooOoo

The smell of hospitals was something he was quite accustomed to, so when Gohan woke up, even before he opened his eyes, he had recognized the familiar antiseptic smell right away. He sat up, wincing slightly, and looked groggily around the hospital room. There was another bed next to his, and Trunks was snoring loudly, sprawled on the bed with his arms over his head and his legs sticking out of the blanket. Gohan cracked a smile; his young friend didn't look in too bad a shape – that was good. And checking himself over, Gohan didn't think he looked too bad either. It had been a while since he'd ended up in the hospital though, but he supposed Trunks had just worried that he'd fallen unconscious and brought him there out of panic. But really, he was fine. A bit sore here and there, but overall okay.

Gohan reached over for the call button and pressed it, looking over at the door as he waited for a nurse or a doctor to get in his room. He didn't have to wait long.

A female doctor came in, clipboard ready. "Hello," the red-haired woman greeted him with a kind smile. "I'm Dr. Jen Dolan. Good to see you're awake. How are you feeling?"

"I feel fine," Gohan replied. "When can I get discharged?"

She raised an eyebrow at him. "In a hurry to leave, aren't we?"

Gohan chuckled, scratching his hair. "Honestly, I feel fine. I've had much, much worse."

Dr. Dolan looked at him with a frown of concern. "I've no doubt about that."

Gohan smiled awkwardly, still scratching the back of his head. "Sorry, but I just don't like hospitals," he said. "And I always feel like you guys are wasting your supplies on me. I can heal pretty fast on my own, you know."

"Considering who you've been fighting, I don't believe we're wasting anything on you, Mr…?"

Gohan's eyes softened. "Sorry, but I'd rather not say," he smiled in apology.

The young doctor frowned and tapped her pen on her clipboard. "Well, Mr. Anonymous, from what I see here on your file, you don't really seem that fine to me. I'm going to keep you in observation for at least a few days."

He pouted. "But I feel fine," he muttered. "I could even go back to training in my current state, you know. It wouldn't be the first time."

She gave him a harsh look. "Not on my watch."

Gohan heaved a deep sigh as the doctor left, and flopped back on his hospital bed. Great, now he was stuck here for who knew how long. Well, sure, he could just escape from the hospital, but Gohan didn't really like defying authority – he could thank his mother for that.

Ah, well. Maybe it wasn't so bad. It was good to take a break now and again, right?

He looked at the ceiling, frowning slightly. Did Videl know what happened to him? Had she heard the news about his recent fight? And, more importantly, did she know that he was fine?

It had been a while since he'd last seen her. Gohan figured that if he waited long enough before he tried to win her over again, it would make Videl miss him more and more, and then, just maybe, she would miss him so much that she wouldn't put up that much of a fight when he tried to be with her again.

 _He_ missed her like crazy, that was for sure. Gohan closed his eyes and exhaled deeply, picturing Videl's beautiful smile. It had been so long since she'd smiled genuinely at him. He missed her smile, and her laugh, and her smirk, and her crudeness, and her sassiness, and her eyes…

And, goodness, he missed touching her so damn much. Everything about Videl was just so… exquisite. His throat tightened as a mess of images fumbled together in his head. Images of that one day with her, when he'd discovered her gorgeous body for the very first time, and then many, many times again. Images of that rainy night, when he lost himself completely and came so close to blurting out that he loved her so many times as they made bittersweet love together. And when he'd claimed her as his possessively, losing his mind as he'd let his instincts take over completely. And all the kisses they had shared in between. God, how he loved kissing her. Nothing could ever compare with how Videl could make him feel.

She was his perfect fit, he mused with a small, melancholic smile. If only she could finally see how wrong she was to throw away the life they could have together. If only she could accept that their story was inevitable. They were drawn to each other like iron was to magnets, and no matter how hard Videl was denying it, it was going to happen, sooner or later. They were going to end up together, no matter how long he would have to wait. He knew it in his heart.

Videl was his, and he was hers – it was a fact, and there was nothing that could be done about it.

It was inevitable.

ooOoo

Delia let out a deep, dejected sigh. Fye looked at her in sympathy and patted her shoulder.

"I know it's been a week, but I'm sure Trunks' fine," he said reassuringly.

"Yeah," Gordon agreed.

"Trunks' a tough kid," Meyers added with a smile.

Delia looked at the boys with a small, half-hearted smile. "Yeah. I'm sure he's fine…"

"And he'll be back to watch Devil kick ass with us in no time!" Shay exclaimed encouragingly, bumping shoulders with Delia in a friendly manner.

"Yeah," the frizzy blonde replied, trying to cheer up for her friends' sake. It was so nice of them to try and cheer her up when they must be just as worried about Trunks as she was.

"And the fights are about to start," Fye said. "Let's go find ourselves a nice spot to watch our favorite ass-kicking fighter."

"Yeah!" cheered Shay, raising a fist in excitement. "I wanna see Devil kicking giant's ass again!"

Her friends laughed at her antics, and Shay shared a grin with Delia, who seemed a lot more relaxed thanks to the others.

They were in an abandoned warehouse tonight, and the audience was currently placing their bets for the upcoming fight. Much to the group of teens' disappointment, Videl wouldn't be fighting just yet, but they sure hoped her turn would come up really soon. That's what they spent all their nights at these creepy places for, after all: to watch the Devil fight.

Since Gohan and Trunks' battle against the cyborgs last week, Videl hadn't missed a street fight meet. Shay had tried talking to her, but the older woman had been particularly cranky and cold and would usually just walk away. Clearly, she hadn't been in the mood for chit chats, but Shay couldn't blame her. As she'd thought, Videl clearly knew about Gohan fighting the cyborgs, and she could barely imagine how worried sick she must be feeling. It would have helped if, at least, they had some way of knowing how Gohan and Trunks were doing after their defeat by the cyborgs, but nobody had any idea where they'd disappeared to after the fight. They could only assume that they were staying at some hospital, but had no way of knowing which one.

It was frustrating.

"Hey guys."

Five teenagers turned around swiftly and widened their eyes. Delia was tearing up, and she all but jumped on the boy, who awkwardly patted her back as the older girl hugged him tightly.

"Oh, Trunks! Thank goodness!" she exclaimed.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, guys," Trunks said with a sheepish smile over Delia's shoulder. "But the hospital didn't want to let us go." He rolled his eyes. "They were making a fuss over nothing, seriously. Gohan and I could've left from day one, we weren't _that_ badly hurt."

Delia pulled away and frowned down at him. "Don't be ungrateful to those who took care of you."

He shifted on his feet uneasily. "Yeah. Sorry." Then he smiled. "But I'm all good now. Gohan and I've been training together today, for that matter."

"What's it like? Training with him," Fye inquired.

Trunks chuckled. "Gohan doesn't go easy on me, that's for sure. But that's a good thing, because it makes me improve much faster." He turned to the fighting area, which he couldn't really see well with the crowd of people in the way, but he knew that the fight had started. "I'm going to become stronger than him someday."

"Well aren't we ambitious," Fye snickered. Trunks quirked an eyebrow at the older boy.

"I'm really going to, you know. Just you watch," he smirked. "And then I'll be the one killing those damn tin cans."

Cheers broke out from the crowd at that moment, as one of the fighters fell down. But the five teenagers were all looking at the eleven year old boy.

"You really think such a thing is possible?" Meyers asked breathlessly. "Killing the cyborgs?"

Trunks turned to look at the fighting area once more. "I don't believe in lost causes. I'm fighting to win – and someday, I will."

ooOoo

It was a beautiful day, so Videl got dressed into something comfortable and went out for a walk in the forest at the outskirt of the city in which she was currently staying, not far from her capsule house. She smiled and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath of pure, unpolluted air, feeling the warm sun on her skin. It was nice to take a break now and then. She's been fighting or training almost nonstop for who knew how long, so this break was more than welcome and long overdue.

She wore a white tank top and jeans shorts, and for once she wasn't adorning her platform-heeled, knee-length boots, but a pair of comfortable sneakers; very nice for walking. She'd even let her hair down. It felt nice when the wind blew her hair away, but not so nice when it came from behind her – still, it was rather pleasant not to tie her hair tightly into two low ponytails for once.

Videl stopped when she reached a lake and took another deep breath, enjoying the fresh scent of nature. She lay down on the grass, a tall tree offering its pleasant shadow over her, her arms and legs wide apart. A content smile formed on her lips.

She really did need this. It felt great to forget about everything for a while and just relax.

The young woman blinked her eyes open, sleepily sitting up and rubbing her face. She must have fallen asleep… The sun was setting. Videl stretched her arms and back and yawned. Now that was a good nap – she felt so invigorated.

"You're cute when you wake up."

She tensed up. The voice came from above, and Videl slowly looked up. Gohan was sitting on a high branch of the tree under which she'd been sleeping, watching her from up there, his leg rocking in the air back and forth. And once again, he was shirtless – was he doing it on purpose to look the hottest possible when he came to see her or what?

"Before you say anything – I just happened to train nearby, and then I sensed that you were close and found you sleeping here," Gohan justified himself.

Videl frowned and got to her feet, already walking away from him. But Gohan jumped from the branch, some fifty feet down, only to land right in front of her. He offered her a sheepish smile, digging his hands into his pockets – and despite herself, Videl felt her insides melt completely at the sight.

"Hey," he said softly. "Miss me?"

* * *

 _[Don't you love it when I don't take months to update? :D Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Don't forget to leave a review, please~ ^^_

 _Credit goes to TheGodfather93 for writing and helping me with the fight scenes, and to rockstone5390 for his constant support and for proofreading the chapter. Thanks a bunch guys!_

 _And thank YOU for reading, my dear readers, and for all the love this story has been getting. Sure makes a writer feel loved~ :D ]_

* * *

 _August 13, 2016_


	10. Damn You

_Chapter Ten: Damn You_

* * *

Trunks looked up from his bowl of rice as his mother walked in the kitchen, beaming with pride. She was wearing her usual overalls for lab work, and her protection goggles still wrapped around her head, above her forehead. She had smudges of dirt on several spots on her face and suit, her hands were dirty, and she had dark circles under her eyes from working overnight in her lab – but Bulma didn't seem to care in the slightest. She hummed joyfully to herself as she walked over to the coffee pot and poured herself some energy juice in a mug. Bulma breathed in the beverage as she strolled over to the kitchen table, pulling out a chair and sitting down beside Trunks.

"Mom, you should sleep at night," the boy advised his mother in concern. "I know your work is important, but you shouldn't dismiss your health either. Now your whole sleeping schedule is going to be messed up."

She eyed him with an amused smile over her cup of coffee. "Whatever you say, _Mom_ ," she giggled gleefully.

Trunks frowned slightly. "What got you all giddy anyway?"

Her eyes lit up at the question, and Bulma put her mug down, turning to her son while grinning widely. "Can't you take a guess?"

The boy crossed his arms with a pout. "Can't you just tell me?"

Bulma rolled her eyes good-naturedly, her wide grin ever so present on her face. "Alright. Well, you know the weapon I've been working on? The Eradicator 5000."

Trunks winced. "Please don't call it that, Mom. It's so lame."

"Whatever," she chuckled, bringing her cup to her lips to take a sip. "It's done now, in any case."

Her son's jaw dropped. "F-For real?"

Bulma grinned wider. "Yep yep. It's all ready to be tested. I thought you and Gohan could take it to some deserted area and try it on a mountain or something."

Trunks suddenly got up in excitement, his chair screeching behind him; he was grinning as widely as his mother. "Awesome! I've got to find Gohan!"

The young half-Saiyan turned to some direction and focused his senses, searching for his best friend's energy signature. His excitement dimmed down however when he found Gohan's _ki_ , and he sat back down, crossing his arms with a pout.

"He's with Videl right now," he muttered in disappointment. "Man, I really wanted to try your weapon out."

"Well," Bulma said, getting up from her chair to put her now empty cup in the sink. "You know what they say: those who are absent are always in the wrong."

Trunks lit up at that, and his mom sent him a grin over her shoulder as she washed her cup. "So I can go test it?"

"With me, obviously. I can't wait to try my baby out!"

The boy grinned. Oh, this was going to be so awesome! He, too, couldn't wait to test Bulma's new weapon – and if it worked, it would mean the end of those hateful cyborgs. _Finally_ , after fighting them for so long – finally, they actually had a chance to end this nightmare once and for all.

He finished his bowl quickly, dismissing the idea of having another one. He was too excited to wait any longer. History was finally going to change. The world would finally be a safe place again – one where people didn't fear for their lives every second of the day, dreading an attack on their city, town or village.

Finally, the cyborgs were going to get what they deserved. He would have preferred to best them in combat, but the world didn't have the time to wait for him to get strong enough – and that was fine, too. His mother's genius had bested them. And he, or Gohan, would be delivering the final blow.

He rushed to join his mom, who was waiting for him outside. She wanted to take out an aircraft capsule, but Trunks was too impatient to rely on the much slower transportation – he just picked Bulma up and took off, and she was in such a good mood that his mother just laughed gleefully as they soared through the sky.

It felt so good to hope again.

ooOoo

Videl forced herself to scowl at him, crossing her arms defensively, pushing down the warm and gooey feelings that seeing Gohan again was enticing in her stomach. Ugh, that cute smile of his was going to be the end of her. Unwilling to even respond to him, Videl turned around and started walking away once more, but Gohan caught her wrist to hold her back.

"Hey, wait," he said softly. Videl looked at him over her shoulder, but that proved to be a _bad_ idea because his puppy eyes were making it so hard to resist him.

She looked away quickly. "What?"

He started pulled her towards him, and Videl felt all her resolves melt away when he wrapped his arms around her, holding her close to him. "I missed you."

She barely even struggled. But this was Gohan, and she'd never been able to resist his touch, had she? Videl sighed in resignation and allowed herself a moment of weakness, leaning into him.

She'd missed him so fucking much. Goodness, it had been much too long. Why did he come to see her only now? What took him so long to come back? Had it been on purpose? That sneaky little bastard. Oh, yeah, it was definitely on purpose. Her arms tightened around him. He'd made sure she would miss him so impossibly much before he came back, and now, just like he'd planned, she was pudding in his arms.

But his arms were so warm and comfy…

"You really missed me, huh?" Gohan whispered to her ear. Videl shivered slightly as his breath brushed her neck.

"Shut up," she muttered, hiding her blushing face into his broad, scarred chest. She froze for a moment when he planted a soft kiss just under her ear, the contact electrifying her skin.

She forced herself to push him back, extending her arms to keep him away. "No, Gohan. Don't. Not again."

"But you look so nice today," he said softly, reaching to hold her wrists gently and pry her hands off his chest. He started pulling her to him again, and Videl swallowed, stubbornly avoiding his gaze as, once again, she was unable to struggle and Gohan wrapped his arms around her, breathing in her hair deeply. "I love it when you let your hair down. You're so beautiful."

Videl bit down on her lip. That bastard. He knew how ridiculously impossible the chemistry between them was, and he was certainly taking full advantage of it.

"I missed you so much…" he murmured, then chuckled to himself. "I can't believe I was able to hold out on seeing you again for so long."

"You bastard," she mumbled into his chest. "You really did it on purpose, huh?"

"And it worked, didn't it?" Even though she couldn't see his face since hers was buried in his chest, Videl could _hear_ his grin. That stupid, gorgeous grin of his. Damn it, why was it so hard to push him away?

"You're such a pain," she muttered, annoyed, as he tightened his arms around her. "Why can't you get a hint? I don't want to be with you, Gohan."

"The only hint I'm getting right now is that you can't push me away," he murmured in her ear, giving her shivers once more. Shit. How could he have such an effect on her?

And she'd missed him so very much. She'd been looking around for him every night at the street fights, hoping to see him and berating herself constantly because of it. She'd been staying wide awake at night, missing his smile, his jokes, his warmth, his touch, dreaming that he'd slip through her window and make sweet love to her, or fuck her senselessly – she loved it both ways with him. She'd even been pleasuring herself thinking of him, trying to cool herself down.

Which didn't seem to be possible right now, with him holding her all against him and planting soft, hot kisses on her neck now and again.

Oh God, he was making her feel so _hot_ – and it seemed like it had been an eternity since the last time they had sex. Her loins were burning for his touch. She wanted him so badly it hurt.

Videl bit down on her lip to stifle a moan as Gohan licked her skin sensually. She swallowed. She needed to cool down – _right now_.

She pushed him back once more, breathing heavily and staring down at the ground. "Stop doing as you please with me. I don't want this again. We're done, Gohan – just deal with it."

"Your body tells me otherwise," he pointed out, an eyebrow raised.

"My body is stupid," she retorted, glaring up at him. Damn him and his sexy smirk. "It reacts to you in a way that makes it harder for me to resist you, I'll admit that. But I _don't_ want to be with you, Gohan, and I will _not_ change my mind."

"We'll see about that," he said, his smirk widening as he gently tucked away some strands behind her ear. Videl swallowed. Fuck. Did he _have_ to look so hot? Could he _stop_ touching her already?

That little shit.

He started pulling her to him again, but this time Videl didn't let him and shrugged him off, turning away from him.

Her eyes stopped on the clear water of the lake, just a few steps away.

"Videl…" Gohan sighed tiredly, running his hand through his hair. "Please, stop rejecting me. I get why you won't be with me, but this is stupid. We're so perfect for each other. We could be so happy together."

He reached for her hand, but Videl quickly pulled it away before he could touch her – and then, on a whim, she took a few quick steps away from him and jumped into the lake. Clothes and all.

Gohan burst out laughing. Videl came out from underwater and glared up at him, repressing the butterflies fluttering in her stomach caused by his beautiful, unrestrained laugh – before turning around and swimming away from him. The cool water felt refreshing, and it certainly helped her lower her body heat.

"Oh, Videl, you're so cute."

She looked up and scowled at the floating young man, flying on his back with his head upside down. Damn him and his ability to fly. Damn him and his adorable smile.

Damn her and her stupid, stupid love for him.

"You know, that's not a bad idea actually," he said suddenly, and next thing she knew he dived in the lake, staying some time underwater. When he came out, Videl couldn't help but stare, her lips parted slightly, her face flushed, as water flew out of his wet hair and dripped down his deliciously carved muscles. She swallowed as he pulled his hair out of his eyes, running his hand over his head, his bicep bulging with the flexion of his toned arm. He sighed in content, lying on his back on the water.

Damn him and his sexiness. Goodness, he was so _hot_. And he was making _her_ hot. Damn him. Damn him.

"This feels great," he smiled, his eyes closed.

"Yeah, well, you weren't invited," she mumbled into the water, creating bubbles with her mouth, already swimming away from him.

"Last time I checked, nature was free for everybody," he chuckled, swimming on his back to stay close to her.

"My company isn't," she retorted. She frowned as she reached the edge of the lake, but when she turned around to swim another way, Gohan got in her way. He smirked and easily cornered her against the lake's border, both arms extended on either side of her, holding the edge.

"Then push me back again," he murmured to her, his face coming dangerously close. Videl swallowed nervously, unable to take her eyes off him. Goodness – wet Gohan was so fucking hot. Oh, shit, he was leaning in for a kiss – and so was she! What the hell! _Stop, body! Stop, you stupid hormones!_ she screamed at herself.

She melted into his kiss. Damn him. Damn him. Why was he so irresistible? Why did it have to feel so amazing every fucking time? Why couldn't she push him away once and for all?

Videl turned her head to the side, breaking the kiss. She kept her eyes tightly shut. "Gohan… Please…"

"I know, Videl…" he whispered, brushing away her wet bangs from her face, pressing his forehead to her temple. "I know that in a way, you're right to push me away. I thought I was going to die a few weeks ago, in that fight."

Her breath hitched, and her arms wrapped around him before she could stop herself. Gohan cracked a smile, sighing in content as he hugged her back.

"And all I could think about was you," he continued. "How much I needed you, and how I wished I had more time with you. I don't want to have any regrets, Videl, and I can't die before I get to live something with you. Think about how happy we could be together, if you'd just let me in…"

"But then you'd get killed, and I'd be left alone in my misery," she muttered bitterly.

"Maybe not. The cyborgs seem to really enjoy beating me up, you know. I think they'd really miss it if they killed me."

"Shut up…" she whispered hoarsely, tightening her hold around his back. "Why does it have to be you? Why can't someone else fight them instead? You don't even like fighting!"

He pulled back slightly to look at her. Videl's lips quivered, and Gohan felt his gut tighten unpleasantly. He cupped her cheek, and she closed her eyes, leaning into his touch. A single tear slid out from her eyelashes and rolled down her cheek, and Gohan couldn't take it anymore – he kissed her again, putting everything into this kiss, hoping she could feel how much he loved her through his touch.

But she pushed him back again and turned her head to the side. "No, Gohan. I don't want to."

He sighed in dejection and buried his nose in her neck. "Sorry. I know I shouldn't push so much. I just…" He sighed again.

Videl swallowed, closing her eyes as she tried to muster the strength to reject him once more. Why was it so hard? Why did it hurt so much? Why couldn't she get over him? At this rate, even in ten years, she would still be as smitten with him as ever. Damn it. Was she actually doing the right thing? Would it even work to stay away from him?

"You know," Gohan mumbled, resting his cheek on her shoulder. "In a few weeks, it'll be exactly one year since we met, on that night."

Her throat tightened. "Has it really been a year already?" she whispered breathlessly.

"Longest year of my life… I feel like all I've been doing is miss you like crazy."

She could count the times she'd seen Gohan in the past year with one hand – yet she was still as hopelessly in love with him as ever. Well, shit. What was she going to do? It wasn't working at all. She was going to die of heartbreak if Gohan ever got himself killed. This was hopeless. No matter what she did, she was going to suffer. There was no way around it, was there?

In that case… Maybe, if she hurt Gohan even more…? Videl held onto him tighter than ever. _Damn it, Gohan_ – couldn't he just leave her be? She didn't want to make him even more miserable, but he was leaving her no other choice. Now she had to break him to make him leave her on his own.

Damn him, damn him! She _hated_ hurting him so much. Ugh. Damn him. This was all his fault. If only he'd just stayed away… Now he was forcing her to be a heartless bitch again.

Damn him.

"I don't want to be with you, Gohan, but..." she swallowed, closing her eyes. It had to be done. She had to protect herself, first and foremost. "I wouldn't mind it if we just kept it physical."

She winced as she said it. Gohan's whole body tensed. Slowly, he straightened up to look at her with a deep frown, and Videl forced herself to meet his gaze with a smirk.

"That's not what I want, Videl."

She shrugged, and took advantage of his loose hold around her to turn around and climb out of the lake. "That's all I'm willing to offer," she said, starting to take off her drenched sneakers – and then Gohan gaped at her as she didn't stop at them, and her tank top and jeans shorts followed suit.

"What are you doing?" he mumbled hoarsely, unable to keep his eyes from wandering all over her, detailing every curve, every shape of her gorgeous body. He swallowed, his eyes following a glistening drop of water as it slowly rolled down her toned stomach before being absorbed by the fabric of her underwear.

"What?" she smirked. "My clothes are soaking wet, and it's not like you haven't seen me naked before."

Before he could understand how it happened Gohan was staring at her perfect, round, naked breasts. His breath hitched. He swallowed hard. She couldn't be serious… What was she doing, stripping down in front of him when just a moment ago she was rejecting him? If she thought he was going to give in and let her have her fun with him just so she could reject him all over again, then… then…

He swallowed, feeling himself getting an erection as she slid her panties off.

… Then she might just get what she wished.

He shut his eyes and slapped his face twice with both of his hands. No. This wasn't what he wanted. He wasn't going to let Videl have her way. He wanted to be with her. Sex was just a part of it, not all of it. He wanted to build a life with her – and even marry her and start a family with her someday. There was no way he was going to give in and become Videl's play thing, or whatever. She was either getting all of him or nothing at all. He refused to let it become purely physical between them. That was not how he wanted to be with Videl. He was not letting it happen.

"Is that a no, then?" her sugary voice asked in disappointment. Gohan swallowed thickly, forcing himself not to open his eyes. "What a shame… And you made me _so_ horny with your kisses and your touch… What am I going to do now? I feel so _hot..._ "

He cursed his overdeveloped senses – he could feel every little shift in the air. Like when Videl kneeled down on the grass and started sliding her right hand between her legs while her left hand cupped her breast. She moaned as she touched herself – and Gohan clenched his fists tightly underwater, keeping his eyes tightly shut. He had to be strong. He had to stand his ground. He had to keep his eyes closed, no matter what.

"Oh, Gohan…" she moaned. "I need you so much right now…"

He swallowed, trying to will his penis to stop getting harder. Videl let out a long groan, lying down on her back, and the squishy noise her hand was making was driving him mad with lust. Unable to stop himself, Gohan opened his eyes and his throat tightened. He swallowed for what seemed like the thousandth time.

Oh, shit. He was in trouble.

"Fuck me, Gohan!" she cried out, her hand moving faster and faster between her thighs – and then she started using her other one too. "Ohhh… Fuck!"

He watched her, his lips parted, his eyes glazed over, as she made herself come right in front of him and screamed his name again. It was the hottest and most arousing thing he'd ever seen.

Feeling his willpower all but vanish, Gohan hovered out of the water and landed on the grass, right next to Videl. She looked up at him from the ground with a smirk, her eyes half-lidded, her fingers still inside of her.

"I'm ready whenever you are," she said breathlessly. "Fuck me, Gohan."

He clenched his fists tighter than ever, trying to swallow that damn lump caught in his throat. "But I… What I really want…" he whispered weakly, dropping down to his knees.

Videl sat up and slipped her hand in his orange pants, grabbing him. "Just stop thinking and fuck me, Gohan." She moved closer to his face and whispered sensually to his ear, "Fuck me hard."

He groaned from her touch and gritted his teeth. What was he doing? This wasn't the plan. He wanted to _be_ with Videl, damn it! He didn't want her to just use him for sex!

But his body was moving on its own, and he was now towering over her. Videl smirked up at him from under him, letting go of his dick to quickly untie his belt and pull down his pants.

"Fuck me, Gohan," she coaxed him once again, placing her hands on his toned ass to pull him closer, rubbing her crotch against his stiff cock. Gohan shut his eyes tightly and grabbed her hips, his fingers digging into her skin. "Give it to me hard…"

"Damn it," he cursed through gritted teeth. "Fine."

He thrust his hips forward and claimed her savagely, and Videl cried out in delight. He grunted, pushing himself in and out of her, deep and hard – like she wanted. _Damn you, Videl,_ he thought angrily, _you know I want more than just sex!_

"Yes! Yes! Harder!" she screamed, wrapping her legs tightly around his waist as Gohan pounded her, her arms raised over her head. "Fuck me harder, Gohan!"

He kissed her roughly, pinning down both her wrists with one hand, his other one grabbing her ass to pull her closer every time their hips met. He kept kissing her even when he felt she couldn't breathe anymore, and he kept hammering into her even when he felt her tight walls quiver violently from a sudden orgasm, muffling her moans with his mouth. This was what she wanted, right? This was all she wanted from him. She just wanted him to fuck her senselessly, didn't she? It was all he was good for, wasn't it?

Videl turned her head to break the kiss, inhaling sharply, and Gohan buried his face in her neck, attacking it with his mouth. She groaned against his shoulder, holding him tightly as Gohan kept pounding her harder and harder.

"Oh, God… Yes… Oh God…" she moaned weakly, hardly having any energy left to keep up. But Gohan only increased his ardent pace – fucking Videl hard, like she'd told him to.

He felt his own climax build up rapidly. He kissed her again, hard, pinning down both her hands against the ground, intertwining their fingers tightly. He felt Videl's inner walls clench and shake around his dick, and he knew he'd made her come again. Pulling away from the kiss, he heaved deeply as he watched her writhe from under him, her long hair sprawled all over the grass, their hands still joined above her head, her breasts swinging up and down with each of his thrusts. She shook her head from side to side as he kept pushing himself harder and harder inside of her, feeling so close to joining her. God, she was so hot.

He finished suddenly, shooting his release inside of her with a grunt, his eyes tightly shut, his fingers closing around hers, his whole body shaking violently. "Oh God…"

When he was done cumming, Gohan pulled out and rolled over, breathing harder than ever. Videl lay beside him, just as breathless, her body still trembling and tingling all over from the overwhelming pleasure.

"Oh wow, that was amazing," she said, trying to catch her breath. "You're so good at this."

Gohan felt disgusted at himself, rolling on his side to turn away from her. Was sex all he was good for? "Tch."

With his back now turned to her, Videl's mask dropped, and she looked down in shame and regret, turning on her side, opposite to him, and hugged herself. _I'm so sorry, Gohan,_ she thought helplessly. _I'm so, so sorry… But you've left me no choice._

She breathed out softly, then rolled over on her back again, turning her head to look at Gohan, still showing his back, his hand covering his face. She forced a smirk. "So, wanna go another round?"

He turned his head to look at her over his shoulder, his distraught, enamored eyes glazing over as he watched her. Her heart tightened. "Sure…" Gohan turned around and pulled her to him, one hand on her hip while he tenderly brushed away her wet, sticky hair out of her face with the other. "Why not…"

This was all she was willing to have with him. As much as his heart bled at the thought, he knew this was the only way he could ever be with Videl. At this point, it wasn't like he had anything to lose.

 _At least, I get to have her,_ he thought dejectedly as he kissed her deeply, moving over to lie down on top of her.

 _Even if it'll only ever be physical between us_ … He kissed her down her neck, cupping her round, firm breasts with both hands, breathing her in. _And nothing more._ He nipped her throat.

 _Even if…_ He looked at her, heaving deeply, parting her legs as he moved his hardened cock forward. _You won't let me tell you how much I love you…_

He slid all the way inside of her and let out a long groan, while Videl arched her back and bit down on her lip, throwing her head backwards, her eyes shut tightly. He cupped her cheek and kissed her lips softly, savoring her taste as he started moving. He groaned at the heavenly friction his thrusts created. Videl wrapped her arms around his neck. He pulled back from the kiss and breathed heavily on her parted lips, watching her through half-lidded eyes.

… _I can always show you._

He was keeping a slow and deep pace this time, not taking his eyes off the cruel beauty lying under him as he kept thrusting his hips back and forth. He pressed his forehead to hers, cupping her face with both hands, his fingers tangling in her long raven hair, their panting breaths mixing together. He was losing grip on reality, losing himself completely into Videl. He kissed her again, and as he made love to her, his mind screamed at her that he loved her. Over and over again.

 _I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you!_

If only she could read his thoughts.

He buried his nose in the crook of her neck, wrapping his arms around her and holding her all against him, panting against her glistening skin. _Oh God, I love you so much._

Videl moaned his name, her legs and arms tightly bound around him. "G… Gohan… Gohan... Fuck. Hnnngggg…"

He kissed her desperately, hoping that he was able to make her feel his undying love for her. Wishing with all of his heart that he could just tell her.

As he came inside of her once more, Gohan wondered how long this little thing with Videl was going to last. His heart broke a little more as his body shook with the most intense pleasure and he emptied himself inside of her for a few long moments.

This time, Gohan collapsed on top of her, unwilling to detach himself from her.

"You're so cruel," he whispered breathlessly, looking at her with helpless, half-lidded eyes, their foreheads almost touching.

Videl only smirked as she tried to catch her breath. "Don't lie, you loved it."

He frowned deeply. _I love YOU, damn it._

She was going to be the end of him, that girl.

ooOoo

The front door flew open with a _bang_ and an over excited eleven-year-old rushed into the living area, calling out for his best friend whom he knew was finally home. His mother chuckled as she walked through the door, which was, surprisingly, not broken off its hinges.

It was pretty late, and in fact, Trunks should've long been in bed by now, but today was a special case. They'd tested the weapon earlier and it had worked perfectly. It gave them so much hope for the future, and the two Briefs had been so overjoyed at the success of the test and the prospect of bringing back the peace thanks to it, that Bulma had decided to take Trunks to the beach for the rest of the day. It had felt so nice and normal, to just go out with her son and have fun. Trunks had been over the moon all day, and seeing him so happy and hopeful brought so much warmth to her heart.

Bulma closed the front door after her, humming to herself as she followed her son who turned left and opened the door to Gohan's bedroom.

Their initial glee dimmed down in a blink, however, as Trunks and Bulma came upon the now familiar and depressing sight on the bed: Gohan was lying on his stomach, still wearing his orange pants and blue boots, and his face was deeply buried in his pillow.

"Please leave me alone," their heard his muffled voice mumble helplessly. "I'm not in the mood for anything."

Trunks heaved a deep sigh and walked over to the bed. Bulma remained standing in the doorway, looking on as her son sat down on the edge of the mattress and patted Gohan's scarred back in a comforting way.

"It's okay, Gohan," he said gently. "We're here for you."

Bulma felt a rush of adoration for her sweet, beautiful boy. How such a kind child could be Vegeta's made her wonder about the ruthless warrior's true nature. It always left her with a bitter taste knowing that he got killed before she had a chance to learn about all of the different layers that made him who he was.

She joined the boys and sat down next to Trunks, offering him a smile before turning to Gohan.

"We just got to test my weapon," she said, to which Gohan's shoulders seemed to tense slightly.

"Does it work?" he asked, still not ready to leave the comfort of his pillow, his face deeply buried in it.

Bulma and Trunks shared an excited grin.

"Yep!" the boy chirped happily. "I got to shoot an asteroid with it and it like, evaporated! It was so cool!"

Gohan finally turned his head and looked at her. "Will it really work against the cyborgs?"

His onyx eyes were so subdued and distraught. It broke Bulma's heart to see Gohan like this. What had Videl done to him this time?

"Believe me, kiddo, those bastards will not come out unscratched after they get hit by my Eradicator 5000."

Trunks groaned, running his hand down his face. " _Please_ don't tell me you're _actually_ calling it that…"

Bulma rolled her eyes. "Well, if you're so smart why don't _you_ come up with something then, hm?"

"Gladly," Trunks smirked, rolling his eyes arrogantly. Now _that_ had Vegeta written all over it – though it was also very much like herself. She and Vegeta did have some ego issues, didn't they? Trunks never stood a chance with the both of them as his parents, really.

Gohan lay on his side, his head resting on his bent arm; an almost imperceptible smile was tugging at his lips ever so slightly as he watched the scene.

"Alright, I got it!" Trunks exclaimed after thinking it through. "The Ray of Hope. Now _that_ sounds super cool."

Bulma cursed under her breath. Damn it, it _did_ sound awesome. How come _she_ hadn't thought of that first? _She_ was supposed to be the genius here!

The proud half-Saiyan smirked smugly. "The Ray of Hope it is, then, right? So glad we're not going for that lame name anymore."

"It wasn't lame," Bulma muttered in bad faith. Then she smiled. "Anyway, I think next time there's an attack, Gohan, you distract them and Trunks will fire the ray, since he already knows how it works."

"I wouldn't let him face them alone anyway," Gohan agreed, sitting up on the bed cross-legged.

"And then we can both finish them off!" Trunks exclaimed excitedly. "I can't believe we're finally going to destroy those fucking bastards!"

Both Gohan and Bulma shot him a stern look. "Language," they said at the same time. Trunks grinned sheepishly, scratching the back of his head.

"Aww… Look, Gohan, he looks just like you," Bulma cooed, reaching over to ruffle Trunks' fine lilac hair. The boy laughed slightly, his mood too high to let himself be embarrassed by his mother's public display of affection – and it was just in front of Gohan anyway.

The young man in question looked on with a gentle smile. He was so glad he had those two in his life. Bulma had never lost faith in them, and most of all, her ego would never let her lose faith in herself; and Trunks was like the little brother he never had. They were always there for him, they were his family, and now more than ever, Gohan needed their support.

He didn't want to get his hopes too high, but maybe, just maybe, Bulma's Ray of Hope was actually going to work. And then there would be no more cyborgs and the world would be safe again, and his friends' death would finally be avenged. And then, maybe, with Videl… They could finally be together – _really_ be together, not just physically.

He smiled, as watching Bulma and Trunks laughing and bantering playfully managed to raise his spirits slightly. And Gohan made himself a promise, right then, right there. If this was really going to work and they actually managed to rid the world of the cyborgs once and for all…

Yeah. If it was really going to work, he was definitely doing it.

He was going to propose to Videl. And she'd better say yes.

ooOoo

It was break time at the fight club, and the group of six had just watched Videl win yet another fight. They got themselves drinks and snacks and sat on the stairs of the underground parking lot. Fye was sitting next to Gordon, and under them on the steps Trunks and Meyers sat next to each other, and on the lowest steps were Delia and Shay.

"Man, Devil is just sooo awesome," Shay sighed in admiration. "I wish I had like a tenth of her talent."

"Nothing's stopping you from learning how to fight," Meyers shrugged. "It'd come in handy too."

"You know, I've been kinda itching to train Videl," Trunks said, taking a sip of his soda can. "She's got so much potential, it seems like a waste not to unlock it completely."

"Wait, you take students?" Fye quirked an eyebrow at the boy. Trunks smirked at him over his shoulder.

"Why, are you interested?"

"Well, _duh_! You guys can fucking match the cyborgs – who _wouldn't_ want lessons from you?"

Trunks leaned back against the wall and brought his left leg closer to his chest, the position allowing a better view of both sides of his friends on the stairwell. "Once Gohan and I kill them, maybe we could open a school or something." He smirked. "Shouldn't take too long now either."

"Oh? So you've already surpassed him like planned, then?" Fye smirked back.

"Well, no, not yet, but my mom built a weapon that's gonna help us take them down," Trunks announced casually, and he snickered to himself as his friends all stared at him with their jaw hanging open.

"F-For real?" Delia blubbered, astounded.

His smirk widened. "Didn't I tell you? My mom's Bulma Briefs, AKA the most brilliant mind of all times."

He was met with stunned silence and Trunks snickered again. It had been a few days since the test's success and his mood was still as high as ever. He couldn't wait to show the cyborgs just how much of a genius his mother was. He couldn't wait to finally, _finally_ finish them off and blast them to oblivion. He couldn't wait to see the fear in their soulless eyes as they realized that their end was now.

"Oh my God are you serious?" Shay suddenly exclaimed, her eyes wide open, finally registering what it all meant. "Then that means… That means… Oh my God I have to tell Videl!"

And she got up and rushed off. The others blinked in dazed astonishment. After a while, Fye distractedly reached for his cigarette pack in his back pocket and lit himself one. Gordon held out his hand, and Fye handed him one as well. Trunks raised an eyebrow; since when did Gordon smoke?

The boy in question smirked. "Gotta celebrate, right?"

Delia chuckled. "Give me one too, then."

Fye rolled his eyes. "Those things aren't cheap, you know," he complained, handing Delia a cigarette and lighting it for her. "You want one too, Meyers?"

"Nah." The dark blue haired boy waved him off. "Wouldn't want Trunks to feel left out. Besides," he grinned. "If it's really gonna work and the world's gonna be saved, I'd rather pass on getting cancer, thanks."

Fye grinned back, and the others snickered. Delia coughed slightly after her first puff, and Fye showed her how to smoke properly. Trunks rolled his eyes, grinning.

"Show off."

"You're just jealous 'cuz smoking is cool," Fye grinned back.

Delia had another coughing fit and Trunks gently patted her back. "I don't feel so cool right now," she said, smiling sheepishly.

"I don't need that to be cool," Trunks said, and got up to stand at the bottom of the stairs. "Wanna see something _really_ cool?"

And then, facing the four teens, the young warrior brought his fists closer to his torso and swiftly turned Super Saiyan. He smirked cockily at his friends staring at him with wide eyes and gaping jaws.

"Wow," Delia breathed out, her cigarette forgotten at her feet. So were Fye's and Gordon's, for that matter.

"How's that even possible?" Meyers whispered in awe and wonder.

Trunks turned back to normal, his smirk ever as present on his face. "Cool, huh?"

"That was fucking amazing," Fye said, his wide eyes still glued on Trunks. "How _do_ you do it, seriously? Did you get bit by a radioactive firefly or something?"

The lilac-haired boy burst out laughing, bending over with his arms on his stomach. The others soon joined him, and that was how Shay found her five friends when she came back.

"Oh, Shay, you missed something amazing!" Delia exclaimed, jumping to her feet to go up to her friend. "Trunks just went golden fighter in front of us!"

Shay raised her eyebrows and turned to the youngest of the group. "I missed that?" she said in disappointment. The boy grinned good-naturedly, mirth gleaming in his blue eyes.

"I can do it again if you want."

And he did, and all five of them were staring at him in awe once again. Trunks let his powerful aura sway his golden locks gently, watching his friends with amused teal eyes.

"Wow," Shay let out, unable to tear her gaze away from the glowing child.

"The transformation is called Super Saiyan, by the way," Trunks said, before reverting back to his normal form.

He smiled at his friends, who slowly woke up from their daze and grinned back at him.

"That was so cool!" Shay exclaimed excitedly. "I mean, I could literally _feel_ your power radiating off of you – and that light! And the hair! And your eyes! Wow!"

Trunks chuckled and sat back on the step, enjoying the attention. It felt so great to be able to just be himself with them, to not have to hide who he really was. Sure, he hadn't told them about his half alien part yet, but Trunks knew that it wouldn't matter to them either. Besides, if it'd been just him, he would've told them, but Gohan didn't want people to know. Still, Trunks intended to tell them someday. He knew he could trust them with anything.

"By the way, what happened with Videl?" he suddenly asked Shay, remembering why she'd rushed off earlier.

The dark-skinned girl blushed slightly, a sheepish smile forming on her lips. "She was, um, busy."

"What do you mean?" Delia asked.

Shay blushed brighter. "Gohan's with her…"

"Oh, were they getting it on hot and heavy?" Fye smirked deviously.

"Pretty much, yeah," nodded Shay, staring at her feet in embarrassment. When she'd finally found Videl to share the good news with her, she hadn't expected to find her with Gohan. He'd pushed Videl against a wall, holding her up, her legs around his waist, his hands cupping her ass, kissing her avidly. The teenage girl had been rooted on the spot, gaping at the steamy scene. When she finally snapped out of it, she'd quickly turned away and dashed back to her friends.

"That means they're back together, right?" Delia said hopefully, her eyes lighting up.

Trunks frowned slightly, unable to forget Gohan's miserable mood of the past week. "I doubt it…"

"Why not?" the frizzy blonde asked with a pout, crossing her arms.

"Because Gohan's been in a really crappy mood lately because of Videl," Trunks explained. "And he wouldn't say why."

The mood significantly lowered at that, the group of six feeling empathy for Gohan's suffering and confusion at what Shay had witnessed.

"Oh, the fights are about to the start again," Meyers noticed.

The group got on their way back to the crowd, but their hearts weren't in it anymore.

"Show us how you change again later, okay?" Gordon asked Trunks, who lit up at that. So did the others, for that matter.

"Sure! I can show you some cool moves too if you guys want," Trunks grinned.

"I bet you could earn a fortune if you entered the fights," Meyers snickered.

"I'm kinda already rich, but thanks," Trunks said smugly.

Delia ruffled the boy's lilac hair playfully. "You're gonna be quite a catch when you grow up, you know that?"

"I'd be jealous if I wasn't so awesome already," Fye smirked.

"I'm jealous of his powers," Meyers said.

"Yeah," Gordon agreed. "I wish _I_ could kill those fucking tin cans."

"I wish I could be there to see them die!" Shay exclaimed. "Man, I can't believe their end is so close!"

Trunks grinned. Man, he loved those guys.

ooOoo

"I… hah… I gotta go back…" Videl panted heavily, her arms tightening around Gohan's neck while his lips were busy on her neck. "The fights…"

"Later," he breathed against her skin, pressing his erection harder between her thighs. "I want you too much."

"Here?" she smirked. While they were in a secluded spot, far enough from the crowd not to attract attention, they would be doing it in public, and anybody could catch them in the act if they happened to pass by. "Not that I'd mind…"

"I don't care." He slipped a hand under her tank top and cupped her breast under her bra. "I can't wait any longer."

Videl moaned when he pinched her nipple. She tightened her legs around his waist, wishing their pants could be off already as she felt his rock hard cock rub against her drenched crotch.

"Then fuck me, Gohan," she panted impatiently. "Now."

He kissed her deeply, lowering his hand from her chest down her stomach. Reaching her belt, Gohan blindly unbuckled it, undid the button of her trousers and lowered the zipper – and then he boldly slid his hand into her panties and suddenly pushed two fingers inside of her. Videl gasped against his mouth. He rubbed her clit with his thumb while using his fingers just the right way to make Videl go crazy with pleasure. He knew the way her body reacted to his touch like the back of his hand. He kissed her neck, his left hand clutching ass as he sped up his ministrations with his right hand.

"Oh, fuck… Oh, Gohan…"

He loved it when she moaned his name. He felt her come all over his hand, her walls shaking violently around his fingers, and raised his head to smirk at her in satisfaction. Videl flushed, half-lidded eyes staring at him lustfully, her chest heaving.

Taking his hand off from inside her trousers, Gohan then pulled them down slightly while he undid the buttons of his orange pants. He kissed her lips again, his tongue finding hers easily, taking his time tasting her. Videl grabbed his stiff dick and stroked it roughly. His knees trembled. He kissed her more avidly, and then grabbed her hand to move it away and bucked his hips forward, going all the way inside her in one thrust.

Their moans and cries of ecstasy were muffled by their locked lips as they rocked their hips as one. Gohan grabbed her ass with both hands while he sped up the pace, reveling in the delicious sensations of claiming Videl as his. Right there, right then, it didn't matter that she didn't want more than sex with him. Right there, right then, she was his and only his; she could deny it all she wanted, but as he made love to her, Videl was giving him more than just her body: she was giving him her heart, and her soul, and he could feel her love through every kiss, every touch, every breath, every quiver of her skin. She may refuse to let him tell her, but at this point, did it really need saying? He loved her and she loved him, and soon enough, Videl would realize that they belonged together.

She could deny it all she wanted, but deep down, Videl knew. He was certain of it. She knew that they were made for each other; just like their bodies fit so perfectly, so deliciously together.

Gohan groaned against her lips as Videl slid her hands into his pants and grabbed his ass. He pressed his forehead against her, watching her with half-lidded eyes, loving the way her flushed face contorted with pleasure while she moaned with each of his strokes. He thrust his hips harder, deeper, pushing her further against the wall. He groped her breasts roughly, knowing she liked it that way, and smirked as he felt her walls tighten around his dick.

She looked at him through half-lidded eyes, cupping his cheek. "You're so fucking hot," she murmured hoarsely, tightening her legs around him before kissing him again.

It was amazing how she could be so crude yet touch him so tenderly at the same time.

ooOoo

Her breathing was finally calming down. They hadn't moved much since they climaxed together, and Gohan was still inside of her. Her legs had loosened their hold around his midsection, but she was still pressed back against the wall, and Gohan didn't seem ready to let go of her. His head was resting in the crook of her neck, each breath he took brushing her skin, and his arms were around her, holding her close.

Truth be told, after the way he'd just left abruptly when they did it by the lake, Videl hadn't been sure he was going to come back. Yet, tonight, as soon as the break was announced, he'd walked straight at her, grabbed her hand, and dragged her away from the crowd. And then he'd slammed her against the wall and kissed her hungrily.

She heard cheers break out from afar, but Videl wasn't feeling like going back out there tonight. She leaned her head on his shoulder, wrapping her arms around his neck. Snuggling wasn't supposed to be part of the deal, but it just felt so nice to be in Gohan's arms… she would allow it this one time.

"I've been wondering," he mumbled against her neck. "We haven't been using protection, but you haven't been getting pregnant either."

"I took the morning after pill the last couple times, and I'm taking the pill now," Videl explained lazily. "It's a pain to use condoms anyway. And I like it better raw."

He blushed slightly, not that she could see it. Straightening up to look at her, he stroked her cheek tenderly, brushing away her bangs from her eyes, and then leaned in to kiss her lips.

 _Aahhh…_ His gentleness was just too much. She was melting completely.

"I guess I'd better let you go now, huh?" he murmured breathlessly, their foreheads touching.

"Or, you know…" She ran her hands along his strong, muscular back. "You could take me home."

The light in his onyx eyes deepened. Videl felt her skin tingle.

"I'd like that, yeah," he whispered hoarsely, kissing her along her jawline.

Her eyes slid shut, biting down on her lip. Or they could just do it again right there. She moaned when he nibbled her ear. She could feel his dick hardening inside of her, and Videl was more than ready for round two.

But then he suddenly pulled out and let her back on the ground. He smirked at the dumbstruck look on her face. Gohan chuckled and kissed her cheek.

"Let's go."

She didn't move, still gaping at him, and Gohan chuckled again. He arranged her clothes for her, clasping her bra, pulling down her tank top, pulling up her pants, zipping them up and fastening her belt, and then he picked up his orange and blue top and put them back on. He tucked them in his pants and finished arranging himself.

Finally snapping out of it, Videl rolled her eyes. "You could've just fucked me here again."

He shrugged, and took her hand in his, leading her away from the parking lot. Videl frowned slightly, eying their joined hands warily. It felt too… intimate, to hold hands with Gohan. She needed to tell him to stop doing that.

She freed herself from his hold when they reached the staircase and sped ahead of him as she went up the stairs. She didn't see Gohan lower his head and sigh dejectedly behind her, but she knew he got the message.

Her heart tightened painfully, but Videl repressed it and kept going. It had to be done. Gohan had to understand that she was only with him for the sex, and there couldn't, and wouldn't be anything more between them. He could try to hold her hand all he wanted, but she was always going to shrug it off.

No matter how much she longed to intertwine her fingers with his and never let go of his hand.

ooOoo

Everything was ready. Trunks hated that more people had to die today for them to find the cyborgs, but he comforted himself thinking that this had been the very last time anyone got killed at their hands.

He was standing atop a cliff, at the outskirts of the city the cyborgs were attacking. The Ray of Hope was in his hold, resting on his shoulder similarly to a rocket launcher. It was an abnormally large laser gun which would've felt heavy if a human had been handling it. The barrel was cylindrical and illuminated with blue light, and the stock was connected to a large metal hose which linked back to a tank that he was carrying in a backpack.

Through the scope, Trunks watched Gohan fight the cyborgs – for the very last time, he reminded himself. But in order for this to work, the young warrior had to focus. He wished his friends could see him now, with his kickass gun, about to kill off those ugly monsters. He smirked at the thought, following the cyborgs closely through the scope, waiting for the best moment to shoot.

The energy the gun needed for just one shot was phenomenal, and Bulma said that it only had two more shots after the test drive. And even then, if he missed, she would need months to recharge the gun – so Trunks had to get them on his first try, and both of them at once.

His eyes narrowed in concentration. Gohan and the cyborgs were moving at incredible speeds, and he feared he would miss his shot if Gohan didn't manage to make his opponents stand still for just a moment.

 _C'mon Gohan, you can do it…_ he encouraged his companion mentally, hoping his good vibes were reaching the brave warrior.

Trunks winced when the cyborgs joined their fists together to hammer Gohan down, sending him crashing in the rubble of a building, the impact creating a crater.

But then his heart picked up. They were just floating in the air now and mocking Gohan, who was staying down. Trunks quickly got ready to shoot –

 _This is it!_

He smirked at 17 as the cyborg turned at the last moment and saw the laser ray shoot straight at him and his sister just before it connected. A deafening explosion shook the whole world then and a cloud of smoke raised where the artificially enhanced humans once stood. Trunks' heart jolted in excitement and relief.

He did it! It was finally over!

He looked up from the scope and turned his gaze to the crater in which Gohan was slowly getting up. They shared a grin, even from the distance, and Trunks, unable to contain his excitement, took off and rushed at his best friend in the world, all ready to glomp him in joy.

But then a second explosion sounded. And everything went black.

"TRUNKS!" Gohan screamed in alarm and desperation.

But the boy couldn't hear him.

* * *

 _[Credit to TheGodFather93 and rockstone5390 for their help and support, as usual. :)_

 _Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Don't forget to review, please! :D_

 _By the way, if you haven't read it yet you should check out my comic based on what has been happening in this chapter and what will happen later on in the story (unless you don't want spoilers and would rather wait for that whole part of the story to be written first, which is totally fine too). The scenes are obviously not exactly the same seeing as I drew the comic last year and only got to the two first parts of it in this chapter. You will be able to find the comic in a folder on my DA gallery, to which you can find the link on my bio._

 _Until next time!]_

* * *

 _August 20, 2016_


	11. For As Long As You Need

_Chapter Eleven: For As Long As You Need_

* * *

He stood in her doorway, his clothes dirty and torn here and there, some minor cuts and bruises showing on his exposed skin. Videl felt her heart sink, unable to take the look of pure despair in Gohan's tearful eyes.

It was hard to tell who made the first move, but the next moment they were in each other's arms, holding onto one another for dear life. Gohan cried softly on her shoulder, and the young woman did the best she could to comfort him. It was killing her to see him like this… Her arms tightened around him and she buried her face in his chest, unable to hold it in anymore. She cried with him. She cried for him. She wished she could cry instead of him.

"Everything went wrong," he whispered hoarsely into her hair, his voice cracking. "How could it all go so wrong…? Oh God…"

Videl shut her eyes tightly. "Is he… Is he okay?"

Gohan swallowed in anguish. "He's barely alive." He held onto her tighter than ever. "I should've protected him. He's so young… I can't lose him too. Please, God, not him… Please..."

She pulled back to look up at him. Gohan smiled down at her sadly, brushing away her tears with the back of his fingers. "I made you cry. I'm sorry."

Videl reached up and kissed him. She put everything she could into that kiss, wishing she could mend his heart with the sole power of her will. When they pulled back, Gohan looked at her with a mix of confusion and thoughtfulness, as if he was trying to understand what her kiss meant. As if he'd felt just how much she loved him through it.

He cupped her face with both hands and kissed her passionately, desperately. "I need you so much, Videl…"

She knew something like this wasn't part of the deal, but at this point Videl couldn't care less. Seeing Gohan so broken and helpless was just too much. It hurt too much, and she just couldn't take it. She had to make him feel better, somehow, someway, and Videl knew that she was the only one who had the slightest chance of comforting him and lessen his pain, even just a little. And she'd be damned if she didn't try.

"I'm here for you, Gohan," she whispered, panting from his breathtaking kiss. He closed his eyes tightly and pressed his forehead against hers, his large hands still cupping her face.

"Really?" he croaked out, his voice laced with uncertainty.

She stroked his cheek. "I'm not heartless. I can't let you go through this alone."

He crushed her in his arms, breathing in her hair. "Stay with me?"

Videl swallowed, unsure of what he meant. But, for now… "For as long as you need," she whispered.

She wished she could've replied "Always," instead.

She pulled back slightly and offered him a kind smile. "How about you take a nice, warm bath? And I can fix you up a snack in the meantime."

"I'm not hungry," he said. "Take a bath with me instead."

His bold proposition took her completely off guard, and Videl flushed before she could stop the rush of blood to her face. He smiled slightly in amusement and planted a hot kiss on her jawline. Videl let out a soft sigh, her muscles relaxing, closing her eyes as Gohan ravished her skin avidly.

"Well, if you're sure you're not hungry…" she conceded, her chest heaving deeply.

Gohan nipped her ear. "I'm only hungry for you right now."

She flushed. _Geez_ , since when did Gohan's mouth become so unabashed? _Did she rub off on him or something?_

He easily lifted her up, his arms wrapped around her hips. Videl laid her hands on his broad shoulders, looking down at him, before leaning in for another kiss. Gohan walked blindly, yet without bumping into anything, and reached her bathroom without much trouble, and without breaking the kiss.

"I love that you still wear my shirt," he said, letting her down on the tiled floor before taking off his orange and blue top. Videl tried not to stare at the blackened areas on his skin, but she couldn't help pursing her lips in concern. Gohan cracked a small smile. "I love that you worry about me, too."

She frowned at him, but he simply bent over to kiss her lips again. Sighing in satisfaction from his tender touch, Videl decided to stop thinking for the time being and to just go with the flow.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and got to her tiptoes, deepening the kiss. Gohan's fingers grazed her forehead as he tucked her bangs behind her ear. His touch was so gentle and so soft that Videl suddenly felt overwhelmed with love; her heart was fluttering wildly in a turmoil of emotions, and at the same time it ached agonizingly as she swallowed back the "I love you" that she could barely contain.

What made her feel even worse was that those three words would have undoubtedly lifted Gohan from his misery – yet she was selfishly holding them back from him when _she knew_ that he needed to hear her say it now more than ever.

Gohan pulled back from the kiss and looked at her; Videl felt a painful pang prickling in her chest. Goodness, his eyes… His beautiful eyes… They looked so dim and broken.

"Gohan…" she whispered hoarsely, her voice cracking. She cupped his cheek, and Gohan closed his eyes. He sucked in a deep breath, as if he was trying to hold himself together.

As if he was struggling not to break down.

She brought his face closer and pressed their foreheads together. "It's gonna be all right, Gohan. I promise. It's gonna be all right."

His thumb stroked her cheek. "I hope so…"

Videl pushed him back slightly then grabbed the hem of her nightshirt – the blue undershirt he'd left behind for her, actually – and pulled it up over her head. She tossed it aside on the floor then slipped out of her panties.

Gohan was staring at her, his gaze slowly running up and down her naked body. It stopped on her eyes again, and Videl smiled up at him as she started untying his belt. They didn't break eye contact, and Gohan simply stood there as Videl pulled down his pants along with his boxers. He stepped out of them, then bent down to kiss her again, his arms wrapping tightly around her waist, pressing their bare skin together.

"Let's start the bath," she mumbled against his lips. Gohan hummed in agreement, but only deepened the kiss, his tongue exploring every corner of her mouth. Videl moaned in pleasure, her knees growing weak.

He started walking backwards, bringing her with him, still unwilling to pull away. He sat down on the rim of the bathtub and reached behind him, feeling around blindly for the faucet.

The position was quite comfortable, with him sitting on the tub's edge, and her between his legs, pressed up against him as they kept kissing and holding each other. It was nice not to have to crane her neck all the way back when they kissed.

Not that she minded either way. Gohan's lips were just so fucking addictive.

She heard the water starting. Pulling back from the kiss for a few moments to catch her breath, Videl caught a brief glimpse of Gohan's lustful eyes before he crashed his mouth onto hers once more.

She had to wonder how he was able to start the bath and check the temperature of the water, and still kiss her so perfectly at the same time.

Videl ran her hands over his gorgeous chest, slowly moving them down his sides. She could feel the imperfections on his skin from the numerous scars and injuries that marred his body, and Videl had to force down her growing worry, refusing to let it get the better of her; she focused instead on what she was doing.

Making Gohan feel better was all that mattered right now.

Breaking the kiss to gulp deep breaths of much-needed air, their half-lidded eyes met.

"I want to tell you," Gohan whispered hoarsely, his voice barely audible.

It was like an arrow was piercing her heart – no, _arrows_. Repeatedly. Her eyes were welling up. Videl swallowed, looking away.

She felt his soft lips kiss her cheek, close to her ear. "Sorry," he murmured. "I shouldn't take advantage of the situation."

Videl let her eyes slide shut as he started kissing down her neck. "You shouldn't have to."

The words escaped her breath before she could stop them. His shoulders tensed. She swallowed.

Gohan let the side of his head rest in the crook of her neck, his breath tickling her skin as he whispered, "But I still can't say it, right?"

Another arrow shot through her chest – she winced. "I'm sorry."

He raised his head and looked deep into her eyes for a long moment. Videl felt her heart pick up and pound erratically against her ribs. He cupped her cheek, his face serious. "But you know what I want to tell you, right?"

Her lips parted. She swallowed, feeling her face burn up from the intensity of his gaze. It felt like he'd just told her he loved her, even without uttering the words.

"You cheater." Her eyes were welling up.

Gohan offered her a gentle, wistful smile, brushing away the tears before they dropped from her long eyelashes. "Sorry."

He kissed her again, slowly, agonizingly. Her heart felt like it was about to burst.

Dear God, how could she love this man _so fucking much_?

She moaned into his mouth, feeling his hardened crotch rub her between her legs; she shifted her pelvis just a little so that his erection rubbed her clit, and sighed in satisfaction. Gohan's hands grabbed her hips as they started grinding against each other. He detached his lips from hers and panted hard, his heavy breaths mingling with hers.

Videl slid her hands down his neck, running them slowly over his gorgeous, chiseled torso. He was so beautiful. She looked into his eyes, her lips parted, her chest still heaving deeply. He was so perfect. His whole being was like the masterpiece of the finest artist. How could she ever stand a chance when Gohan was so incredibly gorgeous? When he was the most perfect fit for her? It was like he'd been created with the sole purpose of uniting with her.

She leaned in and planted soft kisses along his jawline, while her hands lowered slowly to his rock hard abs. Gohan groaned and craned his neck, his fingers tightening on her hips; his own bucked forward, and Videl moaned in pleasure as his hard shaft hit her in just the right spot.

She moved lower, trailing hot, lingering kisses along his throat. Reaching his chest, Videl took her time ravishing every inch of skin at her disposal, reveling in the way Gohan gasped and groaned in response. She flicked her tongue on his nipple and smirked as Gohan's breath hitched in the most adorable way. She kept going lower, getting on her knees as she ran her tongue on every crevice of his beautifully carved abs. Gohan's left hand ended up on her head, his fingers tangling in her long, raven tendrils, while his right hand held onto the rim of the bathtub.

And then she took his length into her mouth and sucked hard. Gohan gasped and his fingers clutched her hair. She looked up at him, running her tongue over his twitching cock. Gosh, he looked so adorable. His head was lowered and his eyes were tightly shut, and the sounds that escaped his lips were both incredibly endearing, and equally arousing.

Videl kept working on his erection, her head bobbing back and forth as she sucked, licked, teased, grazed her teeth along his length, played with his balls with her hand. She played her tongue on the tip of his cock, and Gohan's grip tightened on her hair. He rasped her name, and she could feel he was getting close. Intent on making him come inside her mouth, Videl swallowed his whole length down to her throat; Gohan's whole body shook and his hips bucked.

"Vi… Videl… I… I can't…"

She looked at him and frowned slightly, backing up slightly. Was he trying to hold back? Why wasn't he just letting go? Well, whatever the reason, she wasn't going to let go of his dick until she got him to climax.

She kept at it diligently, watching him carefully as she worked her mouth on his bursting erection. Her efforts were rewarded, and Videl swallowed his semen as Gohan finally came into her mouth.

He opened his eyes, his chest heaving deeply, and looked down at her with a mix of lust and guilt as she pulled back. Videl felt her heart tighten at the sorrow dimming down the shine in his coal eyes. At that moment, water started overflowing from the bathtub. Turning away from her, Gohan reached back for the faucet and turned it off.

Videl wiped her lips, then got to her feet and cupped his face between her palms, making him look at her. "You don't have to feel bad for having a good time, Gohan," she said softly. It broke her heart to see him so conflicted and hurt. "You shouldn't feel guilty about your friend when you're with me. I want you to feel good, Gohan."

He closed his eyes, his arms wrapping around her waist, pulling her closer as he leaned his forehead against hers. "I always feel good when I'm with you," he whispered hoarsely.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly, leaning her head on his shoulder. "Don't hold back, okay?"

He kissed her neck. "Yeah."

He sighed softly. Pulling back slightly, he looked at her with a faint smile and motioned the bath with his head. She nodded, leaning in to kiss his lips softly for a few moments, before detaching herself from him to let him get in the tub first. The water flooded the floor when he got in, but Videl didn't care and followed him in, making the bath overflow once again. She lay on her back on top of him, and they both sighed in satisfaction as they soaked in the warm water, their bodies meshed together. Gohan wrapped his arms around her waist and planted a kiss on her shoulder.

"This feels really nice," he whispered. She hummed in agreement, leaning her head back against the curve of his neck, closing her eyes.

She mused distractedly that she should've tied her hair up before getting in the bath with Gohan since she'd already washed it today. Ah, well. She felt too comfy right now to move even a muscle. Gohan was the best pillow ever.

"Say," he murmured after a while, his lips pressing to her temple. "Is there really no way for us…? I just…" He sighed helplessly, his breath brushing her neck, his arms tightening around her. Videl bit down on her lip, feeling her heart sink. "I wish we could always be like this…"

She exhaled shakily, stroking his hand with her thumb under the water. "I don't know, Gohan," she uttered in a raspy voice, struggling to hold it together. "I… I wish I could say yes, but…"

"And if I kill the cyborgs? Will you be with me then?" he asked, desperately holding onto her.

Videl raised her head and reached behind her to cup his cheek and pull him closer, kissing him deeply. "Let's just…" she whispered breathlessly against his lips. "Let's just forget about everything else for now. Tonight… I will be all yours."

"Just tonight?" he uttered hoarsely, leaning his forehead against her temple.

"Just tonight."

"All mine?" he repeated.

"All yours," she confirmed.

He let out a deep, resigned sigh. "I guess it's better than nothing…"

They stayed silent for a while after this, barely shifting as Gohan kept holding her close against him. Videl closed her eyes again and tried to forget about the world. Tonight, she was all his. Tonight, it was going to be more than just physical. She needed to forget about her fears and insecurities and let Gohan in completely, for his sake. She needed to do this for him. Even if it was just for one night.

Even if it meant she would only end up falling harder for him. Even if it meant it would only be more heart-wrenching and painful when she refused his heart after tonight.

But that didn't matter right now. It didn't exist yet. Right now, Gohan needed her, and Videl needed to be there for him.

"Want me to wash your back?" she offered.

"Hmm…" he mumbled into her hair. "Maybe later. I don't feel like moving right now."

She chuckled, leaning her head back to kiss his jawline. "Fair enough."

Some time passed like this, in comfortable silence, with the two of them just soaking in the warm water, their bodies pressed against one another. Videl accepted the fact that they were indeed snuggling and decided to just enjoy the moment while it lasted. This was just a one-time thing, after all, and although she didn't want to acknowledge the fact... in truth, she'd been longing for this kind of intimacy with Gohan just as much as he was. And tonight, she was allowing everything.

Well, almost everything. She still wouldn't let him tell her he loved her, despite how ridiculously _obvious_ it was. Still – that was the limit. Videl knew that if she let Gohan tell her those dreaded three words, she'd never be able to refuse his feelings any longer. And that couldn't happen. Videl still believed that in the long run, what she was doing would make her suffer a lot less. Yes, she was aware that she was giving up on something beautiful and incredible and extremely rare, a once in a lifetime chance to be with the one who was meant to her...

But then he'd get killed, she just knew it – she could feel it in her gut. As much as she wished she was wrong, Gohan wasn't going to come out of this war alive. Today's events just proved her right, as much as she wished it didn't. From what she understood, the purple-haired kid had hit the cyborgs with some kind of weapon, most likely designed by Bulma Briefs – but even that didn't work. Nothing was ever going to work, no matter how strong Gohan was, no matter how much better he was going to get. It was hopeless. Utterly, irremediably hopeless.

ooOoo

Gohan rushed at Trunks' fallen form in a flash, his heart twisting in dread and panic as he caught sight of the small, battered body of his dear friend. The weapon had blown up when a _ki_ -blast was shot at the boy, and as a result Trunks had been caught in the middle of the explosion. He wasn't a pretty sight... Swallowing a dry lump, Gohan quickly got down to his knees and took the boy's wrist to feel for a pulse. Relief washed over him when he found it: extremely faint, but still there.

He had no time to lose – every second was vital right now. As carefully as he could, Gohan slowly cradled the young boy in his arms – but when he looked up, the smoke had cleared, and the twin terrors hovered in the air, unscratched, and looking absolutely livid.

"How…?" he couldn't help uttering out in shock. It should have worked. This didn't make any sense. The power of the laser ray should have been enough to at least harm them consequently. They couldn't be invincible. This couldn't be happening. Damn it, the Ray of Hope should've worked!

"That was… too close," scowled 17, his eye twitching. "If I hadn't put my shield on just in time…"

The next moment Gohan felt a sharp pain on his back and found himself holding tight onto Trunks as he was thrown forward. He managed to do a flip and landed in a crouching position, gritting his teeth in anger as he glared at 18, her leg still outstretched from the kick.

"You bastard. You're gonna pay for this," she spat, walking slowly towards them, shaking with rage. "You do _not_ get to make me feel scared – that's _our_ thing, you hear me?!"

She pulled back her arm, but Gohan swiftly rolled to the side – and then he took off to the smoke-filled sky and flew away as fast as he possibly could, his Super Saiyan aura leaving a golden trail behind him. He tore through the air at breakneck speed, holding Trunks close to his heart, wishing the cyborgs had _ki_ that he could sense so that he could know whether they were following him and if they were closing in on them.

He kept flying as fast as he could, and after a while, he figured that the twin monsters hadn't deemed him worthy of chasing. Good. Gohan didn't have time to waste; he didn't slow down and kept shooting through the sky towards West City. In just a minute they should get there. The hospital there was one of the best, and still in good shape seeing as, weirdly enough, West City hadn't been attacked yet – but an intact city was only more at risk. For now, though, it was Gohan's destination. Trunks needed the best they could find.

He looked down at the boy's bloodied face, and his heart clenched in worry and fear. At last, Gohan landed by the front door and rushed inside, calling out for help. Trunks got taken care of immediately, and Gohan watched the medical team rush him off on a trolley, a sinking feeling weighing in the pit of his stomach.

He waited for hours, sitting on one of the hospital chairs, tugging at his hair in desperation. Tears blotched the floor between his feet, and his shoulders were shaking. Trunks couldn't die. Not him. Not him too. He was too young, too precious, and he had so much to live yet.

 _Take me instead,_ Gohan kept repeating in his head. _Please, just take me instead of him. He's so young, God, he's so fucking young. He can't die. Please, just take me in his place._

ooOoo

"Stop thinking about it."

Videl's soft voice brought him out of his thoughts, and Gohan met her worried frown with a faint, half-hearted smile. She sighed in resignation and leaned the side of her head under his chin.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not really," he muttered into her hair, tightening his arms around her. "Tell me more about you instead."

He was met with silence and waited patiently until she spoke.

"What do you want to know?" she murmured.

"Anything," he replied. "Everything."

She chuckled, rubbing her forehead against his jawline. "My birthday was on the 27th."

He kissed her temple. "Thank you," he whispered. "Tell me something else."

"I grew up believing my father was the strongest man alive."

Gohan laughed softly, and Videl closed her eyes as she enjoyed the melodic, albeit toned down sound, smiling at the feeling of his chest rumbling against her back.

"Funny, I thought the same thing about _my_ dad." He smirked, "But in my case, I was right."

She smiled at him in amusement. "Well, my dad was a wrestling champion, and he became the world champion of martial arts when I was ten." Her smile dimmed down, and she looked away. "That was just a few days before the cyborgs appeared, actually."

"When did you get separated?" Gohan asked in a soft voice, running his hand along her side.

"I was thirteen. I never saw him again. He probably got killed."

Gohan buried his nose in the crook of her neck. "I'm so sorry," he whispered. "Were you alone ever since?"

Videl sighed, closing her eyes and leaning back against him. "Not at first. I made some friends. They all died too."

"I wish I could promise you I'll never get myself killed," he murmured into her hair.

She cracked a small, wistful smile. "Yeah, me too."

"Tell me something else," he asked again. "A happy memory."

She smiled. "You first."

He chuckled. "Okay."

ooOoo

Gohan leaned back on the couch comfortably, watching Videl with a content smile as she browsed through the shelf of DVD boxes above the television. The bath with Videl had been amazing – yet, surprisingly, they hadn't had sex like he'd expected, and they'd ended up just cuddling and talking for a long time. It had been one of the best moments in his life.

Now that they were both all clean, Videl had suggested that they watch _Back to the Future II_ and _III_. He'd readily agreed, the memory of the awesome time travel movie still very vivid in his head; Gohan couldn't wait to see what would be happening in the sequels.

He was in his boxers, seeing as Videl had put his dirty _gi_ in the washing machine. The beautiful young woman in question had put on his blue shirt again, and Gohan reveled in the sight of her wearing it. She looked so good in that shirt. He let his eyes travel down her long, creamy legs, and then stared unabashedly at her ass as Videl bent over and put the disk in the DVD player.

She turned around and raised an eyebrow at his sheepish smile and the faint blush across his cheeks. Shrugging, Videl walked over to the couch and sat down beside him. Gohan pulled her to him and wrapped his arms around her. They ended up lying down on the cushions, Gohan behind Videl, his chin resting in the crook of her neck. She started the movie, and he snuggled closer to her. He kissed her cheek, before focusing on the screen.

This was what he'd longed to do when they watched the first movie, all those months ago. Holding Videl close, basking in her sweet fragrance, breathing in her delicious presence. Goodness, he loved her way too much – and tonight, more than ever, his heart was swelling with her warmth and gentleness.

God, he loved her so fucking much.

He smiled to himself as he mused distractedly that he'd been cursing in his head more and more often since they started seeing each other a few weeks ago. Videl was definitely a bad influence on him – his mother certainly wouldn't approve.

He tightened his arms around her. _I love you so much._

If only they could always be like this.

ooOoo

By the end of both movies, it was around three in the morning and both Gohan and Videl were exhausted.

"Let's get to bed," she said sleepily, rubbing her eyes with her palm as she sat up on the couch. Gohan hummed in agreement and yawned, and held her hand as he followed her to her bedroom. He smiled blissfully. She was even letting him hold her hand. This night had been so perfect. They got to talk for hours and he got to learn so much about Videl, and then they had such a great time watching the movies, and now they were going to bed together. He just loved cuddling with her.

He imagined that this was how it would've been like if he and Videl ever got together. If only this night didn't have to end...

In her room, Videl turned to him and smiled, taking off her night shirt before slipping under the blanket. Gohan eagerly joined her and held her close, kissing the top of her head as she snuggled up to him.

"We can still do it if you want," she offered, resting her cheek against his muscular torso.

Gohan laughed. A hearty, unrestrained laugh, and the weight on his shoulders suddenly felt light as a feather. He cupped the side of her face and kissed her enthusiastically, smiling against her lips. _I love you so much._

"We're both exhausted," he chuckled, stroking her cheek tenderly. She grinned at him.

"I'm never too tired for sex." She raised an eyebrow. "Are you?"

He blinked at her. "Wait, you're serious?"

In response, Videl climbed on top of him and straddled his hips, then bent down and kissed him deeply. Gohan put his hands on her hips as he kissed her back, relishing the beautiful sensations as their tongues slowly danced together. She tasted so good.

"You don't say," she smirked in response, panting against his lips. Gohan watched her, the mirth gone from his dark eyes, now replaced with lust and hunger. He put his hand behind her neck, his fingers tangling in her long, beautiful hair, and brought her to him to kiss her again, devouring her lips avidly. His other hand cupped her ass, and he bucked his hips, rubbing his hardening crotch between her thighs.

Videl moaned into his mouth. She ran her hands over his chest, down his abs, and then slipped them into his boxers and grabbed him. He hissed, detaching from her lips as she started rubbing his dick, getting him increasingly hard, and fast. She smirked.

"Look at you," she chuckled. "You're already all good to go." She applied more pressure on his cock and Gohan lolled his head back, groaning from the pleasure. "Do I turn you on _that_ much?"

"Yes," he rasped out, his eyes shut tightly. And then Videl lowered herself on him and ran her tongue along his cock. Gohan shuddered. "Oh God…"

"You know, I've been wanting to try something…" she said in a sultry voice. Gohan looked down at her through half-lidded eyes, trying to catch his breath. And then he suddenly felt weak and his knees trembled, as Videl wrapped her well-endowed and incredibly soft breasts around his stiff dick. She smirked at him.

God, she was so hot.

"Fuck my tits, Gohan."

He fisted the sheets, and he gasped, his hips rocking back and forth, creating a delicious friction as he rubbed himself in between Videl's voluptuous breasts. He couldn't take his eyes off her, and Videl didn't break eye contact as she kissed and licked the tip of his penis.

At this rate, he was going to cum before they could actually have sex. Oh God, this felt so amazing…

"K… Kiss me, Videl," he suddenly rasped out, before pulling her towards him and seizing her lips feverishly. He grabbed her ass her then and thrust his hips upward, sliding past her underwear and inside Videl's slippery walls. Their moans were muffled by their locked lips as they started moving, grinding their hips in an ardent pace. Videl held onto his shoulders as she rocked her pelvis back and forth and around, her fingernails digging into his skin.

Gohan felt himself get close too fast, and detached his mouth from hers, gasping for air. He gritted his teeth, forcing himself to hold it back, unwilling to climax before Videl. His left hand slipped below her stomach and between her thighs, and he started teasing her clitoris. Videl suddenly wrapped her arms tightly around his neck.

"G… Gohan… I… I'm…"

She let out a long, guttural moan and Gohan felt her inner walls quiver and twitch frantically. Recognizing the sensation, he finally let go and thrust forward harder, shutting his eyes tightly, relishing the way her orgasm felt around his dick. And then a deep growl came out from his chest as he buried his face in her hair, exploding inside of her.

Videl collapsed on top of him, and they both panted heavily and held each other close.

 _I love you,_ Gohan told her in his head, tightening his arms around her waist, unwilling to detach from her. "Thank you for tonight. I really needed that."

 _I love you,_ Videl told him in her head, nuzzling his neck, reveling in the way he felt inside of her. "You're most welcome."

He kissed her hair. "Good night, my sweet Videl."

She smiled in pure bliss. "Good night, you big goof."

ooOoo

It was the most satisfying, most beautiful feeling in the world. Nothing could compare to waking up in Gohan's arms. Videl slowly towered over him, straddling his stomach, her arms extended on each side of his head, watching Gohan sleep peacefully.

He was so beautiful. She knew such a term wasn't normally used on a man, but it was always the first word that came to mind whenever she looked at him. She smiled fondly. Gohan had the most adorable sleeping face, and Videl felt her heart swell with warmth and tenderness as she looked at him.

"I love you," she whispered before she could stop herself. But Gohan was still sleeping soundly, so there was no harm in that, right?

She smiled to herself and snuggled up to him again, tucking her head under his chin. _Aahh..._ This was the best.

Videl fell asleep again, a content smile curving her lips, and had a wonderful dream. There was a beautiful meadow, and she was lying on the grass, snuggling up to Gohan. He was distractedly playing with her hair, and they just stayed there, enjoying the moment. Videl closed her eyes and sighed in satisfaction, feeling the warm sun caressing her skin as she listened to Gohan's strong, steady heartbeat.

There was no cyborgs, no danger, no complication. Just him and her, and everything was perfect. Videl's ear twitched as padded feet ran clumsily towards them, and vaguely heard a toddler's voice calling, "Mommy, Papa! Look what I found!"

Videl sat up and smiled at the blurred image of the child. Gohan chuckled beside her, taking the lizard that the little two-year-old was holding out to them. "Wow, that's a really cool lizard," he said, sounding exaggeratedly impressed. "Did you name him?"

"It's a girl!" piped up the child happily. "I called her Vivi, like Mommy!"

Videl smiled warmly and ruffled the little tyke's wild black hair. She squinted slightly, trying to make out the chubby features of her child. Was it a boy or a girl? Videl squinted harder; the clothes looked more fit for a boy…

The image became clearer. Videl's eyes softened as she stroked her cute kid's cheek. Black eyes grinned back at her – Gohan's eyes. "Do you want a hug from Mommy?" she asked kindly.

The child lit up and jumped in her arms, holding her tightly around her neck. Videl laughed as she hugged her tiny little thing close. Gohan wrapped his arms around them both and gave their child a big kiss, before kissing his wife's cheek tenderly. Videl met his soft eyes and her heart filled with warmth.

"I love you," she whispered. Gohan leaned his forehead against hers and grinned blissfully, tightening his arms around his little family.

"I love us."

She chuckled in glee. "We should make another one."

Gohan raised his eyebrows, then he smirked. "Now?"

Videl laughed and rolled her eyes. "Idiot."

He rubbed his nose on hers. "I'm your idiot."

The little kid in her arms giggled. "Mommy and Papa aw' silly."

Gohan grinned. "What do you say little tyke? Do you want a little brother or a little sister?"

The features of the child were slowly becoming increasingly clearer. Coal eyes lit up in excitement.

Videl woke up with a blissful smile on her face. She was lying on her side, and as she opened her sleepy eyes, the young woman was met with the same coal eyes from her dream. Gohan's arms were wrapped loosely around her, and a gentle smile played on his lips as he watched her.

"Good morning," he said, his voice still slightly hoarse from sleep. Videl just kept smiling sleepily and leaned closer to him, snuggling up to his chest. He chuckled and held her tighter against him, kissing the top of her head. "Are you always this cuddly in the morning?"

"Dunno," she yawned. "But you're so comfy."

He chuckled, and Videl smiled in bliss as his chest rumbled against her cheek. She sighed in content. Oh, if only every morning could be like this…

And she knew that it would be only up to her; she only had to say the word, and her life could become like in her beautiful dream.

She wondered what the kid looked like.

"So we're not getting up?" Gohan questioned, his voice full of mirth.

"Not now," she mumbled. "I want to stay like this for a lil' bit more."

His arms tightened around her, and he kissed her hair just above her ear. "Whatever you want."

Gohan closed his eyes and rested his cheek against the top of her head, sighing in content. Waking up with Videl in his arms was just the best feeling ever. And this time, he got to watch her sleep until she awoke. Videl was so damn cute when she woke up.

Last night, Videl had said that she would be all his only for the night. Gohan tried not to think of the end of their blissful time together and make the most of it for as long as it lasted, and hopefully he and Videl could pretend to be together for a little longer – but in the back of his mind, a clock was ticking, reminding him that this wouldn't last. Soon, Videl would once again refuse his undying love for her and only use him for sex. Gohan winced at the thought, and forced it away from his mind. He wanted to focus on the now. Right now, Videl was in his arms, and nothing else existed. Trunks wasn't in the hospital, Bulma wasn't worrying herself sick as she stayed by his side, the cyborgs were finally dead, and Videl wasn't rejecting him anymore. For just one moment, Gohan imagined that everything was perfect.

"What did you dream about?" he asked. "You were mumbling in your sleep."

Videl flushed, and she was glad that Gohan couldn't see her beet-red face from their position. Her dream was still very vivid in her head, and it had made her feel so happy and peaceful. But she couldn't possibly tell Gohan about it, could she? It would only get his hopes up, before getting his heart crushed again when this moment together was over.

"I… I don't remember."

Gohan smirked. "You liar." He moved closer to her ear and whispered, his breath tickling her. "Did you dream about me?"

"Yeah," she said. "And it was hot and steamy."

"Hm, is that so? I wouldn't have guessed," he chuckled, tucking away her hair behind her ear. Clearly, he wasn't being fooled. "You don't want to tell me?"

"Not really," she smiled, closing her eyes. "What about you? Did you have a dream?"

"Mm, yeah," he mumbled. letting out a sigh against her hair. He blushed slightly. "We… We were getting married," he blurted out. "You were so beautiful."

Videl felt her face burn up, hiding it into his broad chest. "Idiot."

"Yeah, I know," he chuckled, tightening his arms around her. "But I'm your idiot."

Her heart jolted as he said that, and she was suddenly reminded of that part of her fading dream when Gohan had told her pretty much the same thing… Her breathing deepened, and she swallowed thickly. Damn it, she felt like her love for him was going to explode.

She snuggled closer to him and sighed tiredly. She knew she shouldn't prolong this pretend thing. She was only falling harder and harder for Gohan, and that was not good. But it just felt so incredible to be with him. The damage was already done anyway – she was completely, utterly, hopelessly in love with him, and at this point there was nothing she could do about it. Not until she drove Gohan away, in any case, but that would only be for later. Right now, she still needed to make him forget about yesterday's events. She did say it would only last one night, but she also said that she'd stay with him for as long as he needed. And Videl needed Gohan to forget about it. She never wanted to see him break down like last night. Never again. Seeing him like that... It was just the worst.

"Yeah," she agreed in a soft voice. "You're my idiot…"

For now, she would mend his heart the best she could. For now, Gohan needed her. And, though she didn't want to admit it, Videl needed him too. Being with him last night had felt so amazing, so beautiful, so precious, and deep down Videl wished this never had to end.

If only she could find the courage to believe in him. If only she could allow herself to love him completely, without any restraint.

If only she could allow herself to accept his heart.

ooOoo

Videl was busying herself in the kitchen, making French toasts for breakfast, and Gohan was sitting at the kitchen counter, his elbow resting on the cool surface, his cheek into his palm, his eyes glazed over as he stared at the woman he loved. He mused that they must be looking like a married couple.

She was wearing his blue shirt again. Gosh, she looked so damn good in it. He wished she could just wear it all the time – but then again, Gohan didn't want anyone else to see his beautiful Videl wearing his shirt: that marvelous sight was reserved for his eyes and his eyes only.

"You're so beautiful," he sighed dreamily.

Videl glanced over at him over her shoulder, an eyebrow raised in amusement. "Yeah?"

"Mhmm," he nodded, his head bobbing up and down against his hand. "I'm always in awe when I look at you. You're just so gorgeous."

She turned away, hoping Gohan couldn't see the redness on her face. Geez, she'd meant to tease him, but he was making her _blush_!

"So beautiful," he murmured once again, utterly captivated. And Videl felt her face heat up more and more.

Maybe it was best to put an end to it after breakfast… Being like this with Gohan wasn't good for her fragile little heart – and yet, at the same time, it was aching torturously at the mere thought of breaking this beautiful moment with him. It was just so wonderful and nice to have him around, to just hang out with him and have fun. Oh, how she wished it didn't have to end. If only it didn't have to end.

Videl walked over to her right and brought Gohan a plate of the French toasts she'd made so far, setting it on the counter. His eyes lit up.

"This looks so good!"

She smiled. "Well, it's super easy to make." She turned back to the stove. "There's still more to come, but help yourself in the meantime."

She glanced at him and watched him readily devour the breakfast she'd made for him. Her eyes softened, and her heart fluttered pleasantly. She sighed softly to herself and turned away from the endearing sight, getting back to cooking.

"Ah, hot, hot," he blew a few breaths with a mouthful, and Videl snorted out a laugh. Oh, he was just adorable.

She kept bringing him more french toasts and making more; she'd been meaning to make something of her old bread, so this was the perfect occasion. And watching Gohan enjoying himself so much was the icing on the cake.

She suddenly had the disturbing realization that she actually _loved_ cooking for him. What the hell? It wasn't like her. That wasn't _her_ , period. She was never, and would never be the housewife type; she was an independent woman who didn't need a man to make her life complete, and she certainly wasn't the kind of woman who enjoyed doing everything for her man.

Even though that was exactly how she felt right now.

Damn it, what was Gohan doing to her? She felt so… mellow when she was with him – she could barely recognize herself for goodness' sake! Where did her fire go? Her sassy attitude? What was Gohan _doing_ to her?

She brought two plates with her to the counter this time, and sat in front of Gohan as she put the biggest plate before him and the other one in front of her. Gohan's eyes lit up once more and he dived in with enthusiasm. Videl grinned in amusement. His face was all dirty from the Nutella, marmalade and honey she'd spread beforehand on the french toasts. Gosh, how could he look _even cuter_? Wasn't he adorable enough already? That man was going to be the end of her, she just knew it.

"Aahhh…" Gohan sighed in satisfaction as he leaned back on the barstool, rubbing his stomach. "That was amazing."

"You're welcome," she grinned, still eating her much smaller portion. Videl finished her French toast before taking one of the napkins on the counter and leaned over to clean up Gohan's adorable mess.

He froze slightly, unable to tear his gaze away from her as she rubbed the napkin over his mouth. Videl met his gaze and offered him a gentle smile.

His heart skipped a beat. And then he leaned over the counter and captured her honey flavored lips. He could feel her smile as they kissed, and Gohan felt like he was going to burst in happiness.

If only he could utter those three words to her, just one time… Then this moment would truly be perfect.

Spending time like this with Videl, actually _being_ with her, as if they were living together… This was what he truly desired. This was what he was fighting for. And, no matter what, Gohan was going to make it happen again – permanently. He wanted Videl for himself, he wanted her all to himself, like last night, like this morning, like right now. He wanted her to be his, and only his – all the time.

She looked at him tenderly as they broke the kiss, running her hand through his hair, then moving it down to his cheek. Her eyes told him that she wished for the exact same thing, and it made Gohan all the more determined to fight for her, to fight for them, to fight for a better future. Together.

He had to make it happen. He just _had_ to be with her. His life just didn't have any meaning without her in it – he needed her more than anything. He had to save the world for her.

"It's been… lovely," Videl whispered, the light in her eyes dimming with melancholy – Gohan's chest suddenly clenched in dread.

No. No… Not now. Not yet. He still needed her so much. This couldn't be the end already. He knew he'd gotten much more than she'd promised, but… His heart jolted in panic. He didn't want this to end. This couldn't be the end already. Not yet. He just needed this so much right now.

She suddenly kissed him, desperately. "I'm sorry, Gohan," she whispered against his lips. "But…"

"I know," he sighed in dejection, his shoulders slumping. "I was just having such a great time with you, I wish it didn't have to end."

She pressed her forehead against his and shut her eyes tightly. "Me too," she breathed faintly, her voice barely audible.

 _I love you,_ they both thought at the same moment.

"But, as long as you still need me after what happened… I'll be there for you, okay?" she murmured, stroking his cheek with her thumb. "I told you, I'm not going to let you go through this alone – and I meant it. I'm here for you, Gohan. For as long as you need."

The weight on his chest lessened. He brushed her lips with his, ever so lightly, ever so gently, relishing this moment.

He wanted to reply, "I always need you," but he knew she only meant that she would be there for him while he was worrying about Trunks, and Gohan was already so grateful for the gentle way she'd been treating him since he'd turned up at her door last night.

Dear gods… _he loved her so damn much_.

But, for now… She was letting him lean on her shoulder, offering him the comfort he so needed after the disaster of yesterday. He clenched his eyes shut as the image of the small, battered and bloody body of his dearest friend flashed through his mind.

He suddenly got up and walked around the counter before kissing Videl deeply, wrapping his arms around her waist to pull her all against him. She sighed in pleasure into his mouth.

"Can we… I want to… you know... I mean, before I go…" he mumbled awkwardly – he'd never had to ask for it before. Videl smiled, stroking his cheek, a look of endearment forming across her beautiful face.

"You wanna fuck me before you go?" she said crudely, and grinned when his face turned the brightest crimson.

"That's one way to put it…" he muttered in embarrassment, his cheeks still blazing in flames. Videl chuckled, before getting down from the barstool, and then hoisted herself onto the counter, pushing the plates to the side.

And in a flash her shirt and panties were gone, and she smirked at the bewildered look on Gohan's face. "Isn't that what you asked for?" she teased, sliding her hand between her thighs.

Gohan swallowed, hard, his chest heaving deeply as he stared at her. Her enchanting eyes. Her tantalizing lips. Her gorgeous hair. Her long neck. Her graceful shoulders. Her perfect, creamy breasts. Her hard, dark pink nipples. Her flat, toned stomach. Her curvy, beautiful hips... And then her hand, teasing her wet lower lips…

His legs moved on their own accord and he closed the distance between them, placing his hands on the surface, on either side of her. A sudden flash of their first time together, his very first time, crossed his mind, and his breathing became erratic as he slowly leaned closer, his eyes sliding shut.

Videl wrapped her arms around his neck and pulling him to her, closing the final few inches between them and claiming his lips tenderly. Gohan felt himself melt completely. His hands landed on her back, bringing her all against him, loving the way her bare skin felt against his.

"Does this really have to end?" he murmured breathlessly, desperately. Videl only kissed him in response.

"Shh…"

He clenched his eyes tightly shut and decided to stop thinking about the inevitable end. He let himself soak in Videl's tenderness, in her kindness, in her beauty, in her soul… For now, he decided to just enjoy this moment with her while it lasted. And for now, it didn't matter that it wasn't going to last forever – Videl was with him right now, truly with him, and Gohan let himself forget about all the rest as he kissed her, touched her, breathed her in…

He cupped her breasts and fondled them slowly, flicking her nipples with his thumbs every now and again. Videl moaned against his mouth, and Gohan pulled back to marvel at the sight of her; her flushed face, her closed eyes, her parted lips, her heaving chest, her arched back… He continued groping her breasts, staring in awe at the way she reacted to his touch.

God, she was so hot, he was already rock hard. But Gohan wanted to take his time. He wanted to ravish her slowly, agonizingly – he wanted to taste all of her, inch by inch. He wanted to soak in her beautiful scent, and relish the blissful feeling of completion as he made love to her…

He bent down and wrapped his mouth around the nipple of her left breast, squeezing her right mound at the same time. Videl let out a gasp, her hands clutching on the edge of the counter, and moved her legs around his midsection to pull his boxers-clad crotch all against her, groaning as his erection pressed against her drenched entrance.

Gohan brushed the fingers of his right hand along her back, sending shivers down her spine. He pinched her nipple with his left hand and suckled hard on the other one, loving the way Videl moaned and gasped under his touch.

He knew her body like the back of his hand. He knew exactly where to lick, when to nip, what and how to touch to set her off. And he loved the way her body reacted to his ministrations. It was just so _easy_. With just the right push, he could make her go crazy with pleasure.

He lowered his mouth along her smooth stomach, slowly kissing, licking, nipping his way down. Videl's hands landed on his head; Gohan glanced up at her, feeling himself burn at the sight of her beautiful face, contorted in pleasure.

He went lower and got down on his knees, and opened his mouth wide around her crotch. Her fingers clutched his hair tightly and she let out a sudden cry, her knuckles turning white. Gohan smirked against her lower lips, musing that he was simply returning the favor after last night as he devoured her hungrily, eliciting cries and gasps and squeaks out of his gorgeous lover.

Her thighs clenched around his head, and her hips rocked uncontrollably back and forth as he used his mouth to pleasure her. She cried out his name, again and again, the sound sweet music to his ear.

How he loved to make her scream for more.

Her legs suddenly tightened against his head and her back arched, and Gohan teased her clit with his tongue as she climaxed, knowing it would make it last longer. Then, he got to his feet, wiping his mouth and chin – and his lips parted at the sight of her, sprawled out onto the counter, her beautiful hair around her, her left arm over her eyes, her face flushed, her chest heaving frantically, her creamy skin glistening with sweat. Lying there. Offering her delicious body to him.

He towered over her and leaned down to slowly kiss her luscious lips, grabbing his stiff cock in his hand to lead it to her drenched entrance. Videl let out a long groan as he slowly slid inside of her, while Gohan sighed in satisfaction. He watched her intently as he made love to her, once again enjoying the view.

She was just so fucking beautiful. He pressed his forehead against hers as he sped up the pace, longing for more of the delicious friction of her tight walls around his hard dick. He grabbed her breast and squeezed, smiling through half-lidded eyes as Videl gasped in ecstasy, her eyes tightly shut. With his other hand, he grasped the one of hers that was above her head and closed his fingers around hers. She clutched his hand back tightly, moaning his name in the most exquisite way.

He kissed her lips, savoring the taste of her. God, he needed this moment to never end. He just needed her so damn much.

His pace increased again, becoming more erratic, more feverish. He deepened the kiss and tightened his fingers around hers, and Videl responded in kind. He was losing himself completely. The pleasure was too much. She was so perfect, so delicious – she was a goddess.

He panted against her lips, pulling back slightly. Shit. She was just _so goddamn hot_. She was driving him _crazy_.

He squeezed her breast again, flicking her nipple with his thumb. His breathing was uncontrollable. He bent down to taste her hard bud, Videl's groan of pleasure driving him mad with lust. He suckled on her nipple and thrust his hips forward as hard and deep as he could, determined to make Videl lose her mind.

She was his. No matter what she said – she was his and only his, and she'll always be his. He panted against her chest, lowering his hand to her ass, his fingers digging into her firm muscle as he pounded into her relentlessly. He felt her tight walls clutch and tremble around his cock and smiled in satisfaction, glad that he'd made her come again – but he was nowhere done with her yet. He kept thrusting hard through her orgasm, and Videl swung her head from side to side as she moaned and gasped in ecstasy, her hand clutching his so tight it almost hurt.

He straightened up to look down at her, still pounding her in a frenzied pace. He bent over to kiss her throat, then moved his lips up her neckline. He grazed his teeth on her ear.

"You're mine…" he murmured breathlessly. "You're mine, Videl…"

She grabbed his ass with her spare hand and pulled him harder into her, her pelvis meeting his eagerly. "I'm yours," she moaned deliriously. "I'm all yours, Gohan – ahh! Oh God! Yes! Yes! More! More! Fuck me harder, Gohan!"

He kept his face deeply buried in the crook her neck, breathing in her intoxicating scent. Each erratic breath he took brushed against her skin. Videl moved her arm to wrap it around his broad back, closing her legs tightly around his waist. He groaned, closing his eyes tightly as he felt the imminent explosion getting increasingly closer. Gohan gritted his teeth as he held it back as hard as he could, refusing to let this moment end. He didn't want it to ever end – he just wanted to stay right where he was and keep going, letting the unbearable pleasure drive them both insane.

"Oh – fuck!" Videl gasped, her whole body taken with uncontrollable convulsions. She screamed, unable to hold the pleasure in, and her inner walls trembled and tightened wildly around his dick.

"Oh God…" he breathed hoarsely.

Gohan couldn't help himself – he came inside of her with a roar, and he came hard. The explosion blinded him completely; his left hand clutched her own tightly, while the fingers of his right one dug deep into her ass.

They didn't move after this, just lying there, on the counter, Gohan on top of Videl, panting hard. He closed his eyes and leaned his head in the crook of her neck, while she wrapped her left arm around his neck, keeping him close to her frantic heart.

Their hands were still joined above her head, their fingers interlaced.

ooOoo

"I've been thinking," Fye suddenly said over the deafening cheers from around them, his eyes never leaving his idol in action.

"Yeah?" Meyers replied distractedly, he, too, focused on admiring the most badass fighter ever – who just happened to be friggin' hot as well.

"We should go on a road trip together. To see Trunks."

The other four turned to him and immediately lit up at the suggestion.

"Awesome idea!" Shay exclaimed excitedly, jumping in Fye's arms in the heat of the moment. The tall boy raised an eyebrow at his friend's show of affection, then he just grinned, enjoying the hug.

"But do you know where Trunks is staying at?" Meyers asked thoughtfully.

"West City," Shay answered immediately, turned away from Fye to look at Meyers. "I asked Videl the other day, and she told me he lived in West City and was staying at the biggest hospital there."

"Gohan probably told her," Delia concluded. Then she perked up, pumping her fist into her palm. "Oh! We could ask her to come with us!"

Shay's eyes lit up, and she jumped on Delia this time, hugging her tightly. "Oh Delly, that's the best idea ever!"

"Road trip, then," grinned Meyers. "I'm guessing your brother will want to join us, huh?" he said to Delia, who was pulling away from Shay with a chuckle.

"Yeah, definitely," she replied, rolling her eyes through her grin. "He's way too protective when it comes to me."

"You can't blame him," Gordon pointed out, showing a rare moment of eloquence. "And West City hasn't been attacked yet, right? It's kinda more at risk because it's untouched."

The others frowned at that. Gordon could always notice the little things that seemed obvious only to him. Sometimes they wished he wasn't always right – like now. Hanging out in destroyed cities was always more safe, as it seemed unlikely for the cyborgs to attack where the people to kill were scarce and the buildings and constructions already in ruins. Going to West City wouldn't be without risks…

"But I want to see Trunks," Delia affirmed decidedly.

"Yeah. We have to go," agreed Shay, nodding her head in all seriousness.

A roar of cheers distracted them from the topic at hand. Videl was, unsurprisingly, standing over her fallen opponent, panting heavily.

Fye smirked. "We should ask her when it's the break."

"I bet Fred's gonna be all over her," muttered Meyers, crossing his arms with a pout.

"Well," Fye smirked, "she _is_ super hot. Wonder if Gohan's the jealous type?"

The others snickered at Delia's brother's expense, imagining Gohan's reaction if he ever saw Fred hitting on his precious Videl.

"Well," Gordon said, grinning. "This is gonna be fun."

* * *

 _[Indeed, Gordon, indeed... :D_

 _Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed it! And hopefully I can keep updating once a week – now wouldn't that be super neat? :D Finger crossed! ;)_

 _Please don't forget to review! It's like a drug hahaha, I always want more xDD_

 _By the way, I'm curious, but do you have a favorite among Trunks' friends? Mine's Gordon, hehe. ^^_

 _Anyway, see you soon, hopefully! :D ]_

* * *

 _August 27, 2016 (exactly one month before my birthday! :O )_


	12. Temporary

_Chapter Twelve: Temporary_

* * *

They had agreed to meet up by a ruined, abandoned subway station at eight o'clock in the morning. Shay and Delia had been the first to arrive, and Videl wasn't far behind them. It seemed that Shay had been living with Delia and her brother, Fred, for some time now. Videl frowned slightly at the implication. It was hard to believe that such a lively and cheerful teenage girl had no family left. Videl had always admired people like that, because for her, losing everybody she ever cared about had been so awful and unbearable that she just ended up bitter and cold.

When Fred saw her coming towards them, his eyes widened and his jaw dropped. Videl hadn't paid it much mind – she was used to getting looks from men. She was well aware of the effect she had on the opposite sex – and sometimes on the same sex, for that matter – and while she didn't particularly enjoy the extra attention, Videl didn't really care most of the time. She didn't acknowledge the glazed-over stare Fred was giving her and turned to offer a small smile to the girls.

"Hey," she greeted them. "Is that your brother or something?" she asked Delia, noticing their similar traits.

"Yeah," Delia replied, rolling her eyes. "He wouldn't let me go on my own."

"Is that so," Videl said, eying the guy out of the corner of her eye.

When Videl agreed to go visit the purple-haired kid (Trunks, she had to remind herself – she was so bad with names), it was mostly because she thought those kids were on their own and she felt that there should be an adult accompanying them to West City. But in the end, it seemed as though she had nothing to worry about since Delia's twenty-something older brother was tagging along. As any overprotective big brother would.

Ah well. She would probably see Gohan there anyway, and he would definitely need her to lift his spirits, too, so it didn't really matter in the end.

The guy suddenly perked up and held out his hand. "I'm Fred. Hi. And you are?"

"Videl," she answered curtly, shaking his hand briefly. She had a feeling this one wasn't going to content himself with just staring at her.

Well, this could be fun actually; it would certainly make this road trip more interesting. And if Gohan happened to see her with that guy once they got to the hospital, maybe he'd get jealous again. Jealous Gohan was, well, _hot_.

Then again, Gohan was just hot, period.

"So you're the girl the kids love to watch fighting, huh?" he said. "I might tag along sometime. I'm curious to see how you fight – I hear you win every time."

"I can show you now if you want," Videl smirked cockily, brushing away a long pigtail over her shoulder.

"Heh, I'm not much of a fighter," he grinned. "But I'd love you to teach me."

Videl chuckled and rolled her eyes. What a flirt. Poor guy had no idea he didn't have the slightest chance with her.

"Ew, Fred, stop hitting on her," Delia said, making a face. "She's so out of your league you know?"

The young man raised a thick, dark blonde eyebrow at his sister, before smirking at the raven-haired young woman. "You think so too?"

"Maybe," Videl replied, grinning playfully.

"Oh? So I'm not your type?" he asked in the same tone.

"I'm more into brunettes." Videl snickered as she said that.

"Hair can be dyed, you know."

"You're free to try."

Videl felt in a light mood. This playful banter was certainly fun. Maybe if she hadn't met Gohan she would've been interested in Fred – he definitely wasn't unattractive. Tall, nice blonde curls, clear blue eyes, soft features, and while he was rather thin, his shoulders were broad, and he was in good shape. He could've been a fun one-time thing.

But after Gohan, all the other guys were just so bland. After being touched and kissed by Gohan, after feeling the sparks fly in all the directions, after having experienced this kind of impossibly amazing chemistry – no one else could ever compare.

Just thinking of him was making her feel hot.

She looked over Fred, spotting two of the boys in the distance. She smiled and gave them a wave; they grinned and rushed to reach them – or more precisely, to reach her. She chuckled. Having a fan club was fun.

It was Fye and Meyers, and they both stared at her with googly eyes and goofy smiles. Videl offered them a smile as she greeted them.

"So only that quiet guy is missing now, right?" she asked.

"Yeah. Gordon," Shay said, while the guys were still staring at Videl. The dark-skinned girl rolled her eyes. "Geez, guys, take a photo, it'll last longer."

"A-Actually," Meyers mumbled sheepishly, reaching behind him in his back pocket. "Could I maybe… have your au-autograph?"

Videl laughed, throwing her head back. Geez, these kids were hilarious. Still giggling to herself, she took the pen and photo of herself – a very nice shot of her after one of her victories, actually – and signed it.

"Remind me your name?"

"Meyers," he replied eagerly.

"Alright."

She handed it back to the overjoyed boy, who beamed as he looked at it. It read:

 _To Meyers,_

 _Thanks for your support._

 _The Devil_

 _PS: My eyes are up there._

He flushed and grinned at the same time, his eyes sparkling with joy and excitement. "Thank you so much! I love it!"

"Wait, you're giving out autographs?" Shay asked eagerly, a grin forming on her lips.

Videl chuckled. "Sure. I'm in a good mood."

The next moment, three more photos seemed to appear from out of nowhere in front of Videl, and she looked at the three grinning teenagers with a smile of her own. She took Shay's first. She noticed that it was a different photo.

Then her heart stopped for a moment. She recognized the place, and her outfit. It was the night she met Gohan – and his orange _gi_ was, in fact, visible on the left corner of the shot. _Wow._

"Could you give me a copy of this photo?"

Shay lit up. "Of course! I've got lots more pictures in my bag, actually. Do you want to see them too?"

"No, I mean… I want this one," Videl clarified, staring at the orange bit on the left corner of the photo. She wished Gohan hadn't been cut off.

Videl berated herself for such sentiment, but she wished she could have at least one photo of Gohan and her together. She wanted something to hold on to, something to remember him by, even though she knew that her memories of him would only pierce her heart mercilessly once she lost him.

Shay came up next to her and took a closer look at the picture in Videl's hand. "Oh! Wait! I get it now!" Her whole face lit up with the widest grin. "I cut off that shot actually – I had no idea who _that_ was when I did that, obviously," the teen explained happily. "I'll give you the full photo when we get on our way, okay?"

Videl nodded. "Thanks," she said quietly.

She took a mental note that Gohan must never, _ever_ know about this photo – and most of all, he must never, ever know that she had it.

"What's that about?" Fred asked, coming up next to Videl's other side to look at the shot over her shoulder. Videl noted that he was leaning much closer than he needed to. She rolled her eyes.

Meanwhile, Shay mouthed to friends, "I'll tell you guys later." They snickered and nodded in response.

Fred frowned in confusion, not liking the atmosphere. Being left out wasn't the most pleasant feeling, to say the least.

Some time passed as the group waited for their last member before they could head off to West City. Shay, Fye, Delia and Meyers were happy to show their brand new autographs of their idol between each other, and Videl enjoyed watching them being silly. Fred ended up just shrugging and continued to hit on the beautiful young woman accompanying them, believing himself lucky to get to travel with such a hot girl. The teens snickered between themselves at his expense.

"So how about those lessons," he reminded the raven-haired beauty, putting on his most charming smile.

Videl smirked. "Not sure you can take it. You look kinda scrawny."

"He's like a shrimp compared to Gohan, you mean," Delia whispered to her friends, who snorted in laughter and snickered into their hands.

"I can't _wait_ to see Gohan get jealous when we get there," Fye grinned. "It's gonna be _so_ much fun."

ooOoo

A light tap on her shoulder brought her out of her thoughts. Bulma smiled up at Gohan, who was handing her a carton cup of coffee. She took it and thanked her young friend, and he sat down next to her, slumping his shoulders and heaving a sigh.

"Anything new?" he asked tiredly, leaning forward with his forearms against his lap.

"He's still not waking up." Bulma looked down at the white-tiled floor, her clear blue eyes glazing over with worry.

Gohan put his hand on her shoulder and gave it a light squeeze, offering her a gentle, comforting smile. Bulma smiled back in thanks, hints of sadness dimming the spark in her eyes, and Gohan nodded his head in comprehension. No word needed to be uttered, the two old friends understanding one another naturally. Bulma had seen Gohan grow up, turning from a cute, tiny little boy to the brave and strong young man he was now.

She often mused that she felt closer to Gohan than she ever did to his father, who had been her best friend. Gohan's maturity and intelligence certainly helped, but Goku had always been like water: wild and free and hard to grasp. He had been the kind of person that had trouble staying tied down to others – even his own wife, Chichi, had had trouble keeping him in one place, and that wasn't to say the two didn't love each other dearly. As much as it had been hard to believe that naive, clueless Goku somehow got himself a wife and kid – and before the rest of them did, too!

Bulma blew over the hot beverage and sipped on it absent-mindedly as she turned her gaze on Gohan. She was still coming to terms with how _young_ he was, and yet how much he'd been through. He'd barely been four years old when Goku's evil brother took him, and then he had been forced to train under Piccolo's harsh methods.

Four years old.

While Bulma had never been a common child, what with working with her father in his lab since as far as she could remember, it couldn't compare to Gohan's childhood – or lack thereof. Well, at least, he did get a few years of normalcy after Namek, once Goku came back from that Yardrat planet – but then Goku died out of nowhere, and those cursed cyborgs started wreaking havoc on Earth. What must it have felt like, for a nine-year-old, to lose the people dearest to him and have his whole world turned upside down?

If only things could go his way for once.

"How are things going with Videl?" Her abrupt question caused him to blink at her dumbly. "Any progress?"

"Um…" Gohan looked down, his expression turning thoughtful and serious. "I'm… not sure."

Bulma raised her eyebrows. "How can you not be sure?" she chuckled slightly in amusement at the strange response. "Either you've made progress, or you haven't."

Gohan frowned, looking as though he actually needed to think about it. Bulma couldn't help snorting out a laugh. Just what had been going on between him and Videl lately that had him so confused about their situation?

"...I guess I could say that there was some progress…" he finally uttered, speaking slowly, as if choosing his words carefully.

Bulma perked up at that. Finally, some good news! After the disaster of her blasted invention, that Gohan may be finally getting his happy ending with Videl was just what she needed to hear. Gohan loved that girl way too much, and they were just too perfect for each other to stay apart. In these chaotic times, they had to hold on the good things that could make them happy. It had been driving Bulma crazy that those two idiots were going to just toss the special bond they had out the window.

"But…" Gohan trailed off, his frown deepening. Bulma cringed slightly. Nothing good could come out after that "but"...

He sighed, leaning back against his chair, pressing the back of his head against the cool wall. "It's not going to last. She just felt sorry for me because of what happened and comforted me. Before long she's going to be cold again and just use me for…" Gohan suddenly sat up straight and widened his eyes. "Um, never mind." He smiled awkwardly, a light blush streaked across his face, scratching his hair.

Bulma narrowed her eyes in thoughts. "Use you for…?" Her lips drew a thin line. She didn't like this. "What's going on between you two, Gohan?"

He flushed and looked away, still scratching the back of his head. "It's kinda… I mean, it's too weird, you're basically like my mom, and I would definitely _never_ talk about that kind of stuff with my mom…"

"Wait…" Bulma widened her eyes as a flash of understanding crossed her face. "You're talking about sex, aren't you?"

Gohan almost strangled himself with his own saliva and coughed loudly into his fist. His face was beet-red, his eyes still avoiding hers.

"I'd rather _not_ ," he uttered hoarsely when he finally calmed down.

Bulma frowned deeply, starting to piece everything together. "Is Videl… Do you mean she's _using_ you? And you're _letting_ her?"

White anger boiled her blood. Idiots! The bunch of them! Complete morons! UGH!

"Can we… change the subject, _please_?" Gohan all but begged, looking everywhere but at her, his face the brightest crimson she'd ever seen.

"Gohan, look at me," Bulma said sternly. Maybe because she was, indeed, like a mother to him, Gohan did as he was told almost immediately. "I know you're uncomfortable talking about this with me, but you need to get past it. I'm your friend and I love you, but I can't help you if you won't talk to me."

He swallowed thickly, his blush still as fierce as ever. Then his shoulders slumped in defeat. "Could we go somewhere else though?"

ooOoo

"Where _is_ Gordon?" Delia said impatiently, clicking her tongue, her arms crossed, tapping her foot, as her eyes darted around the old rubble of the city. "It's past nine already!"

Fye shrugged, not showing worry if he felt any. Shay was in a similar state of impatience as Delia, while Meyers looked a bit restless, pacing around now and then, stopping to sweep their surroundings with his eyes then pacing again, as though he couldn't stand in place.

"Do you guys know where he lives?" Videl asked, frowning in concern. "We could always go get him."

"In that case, we should probably split up into two groups, in case he does get here," Delia suggested.

"I'm with Videl," Fred said instantly. Videl rolled her eyes. That guy hitting on her was going to get old really fast. Couldn't he read the mood and see that now wasn't the time?

"Never mind," Fye said, grinning, motioning behind Delia with his head. "There he is."

They all followed the tall boy's gaze and, sure enough, there was an open-top aircar getting closer. Videl squinted. Wait… Gordon wasn't alone in that car…

Videl squinted harder. Were those… kids?

ooOoo

Gohan was fidgeting nervously, unable to keep his gaze in one place. He and Bulma had gone out to the hospital's garden and found themselves a bench, but Gohan was in no way ready to speak.

Bulma was like his _mom_ , for Pete's sake. How could he ever tell her about what had been going on between him and Videl? Gosh, his face was boiling so hot – was it going to explode in a second? He wouldn't be surprised if it did.

"So, tell me," Bulma started, tired of waiting for him to speak first. "What's going on with Videl?"

"Well…" Gohan muttered, staring intently at his hands clutching the fabric of his pants. "She kept rejecting me even after I told her I wanted to be with her… She's so stubborn." He heaved a deep sigh, his shoulders slumping. "So now she's trying to drive me away by hurting me."

Bulma pursed her lips, her eyes narrowing at the thought of what that girl was doing to sweet, kind, gentle Gohan. "She's using you for sex, then? And you're letting her."

"I-I…" Gohan swallowed hard, his face somehow burning even more. "I didn't want that, but…" He swallowed again, the image of Videl coaxing him as she touched herself flashing through this mind. "I just… She's just…" He let out a deep, discouraged sigh. "I can't do it, Bulma, talking to you about this is just too weird."

"Get over it," Bulma said coldly. "What happened? Why are you letting her use you like this?"

Gohan shut his eyes and sucked in a deep breath. "She… convinced me. Using her appeal."

"And you gave in?" Bulma frowned in disapproval and clicked her tongue. "Men, I swear. You just can't help yourselves, can you?"

"But… after what happened with Trunks… " Gohan trailed off and his eyes softened, a tiny curve tugging at the corner of his lips. "She said she's here for me, and that she won't let me go through this alone." He finally looked up at Bulma with a soft smile. "She's so sweet, you know?" He let out a dreamy sigh as the memory of the wonderful time he had with Videl, that night and the morning after, stayed in his mind. "I wish we could always be like that. It was just so… perfect."

Bulma kept quiet for a time. Her features had softened from her harsh scowl, but she was still frowning as she pondered on what Gohan had said. Sure, she was glad Gohan had found comfort in Videl's arms after what happened to Trunks, but from the sound of it, this positive change wasn't meant to last.

She hated what Videl was doing to Gohan. He loved her so much, needed her so desperately – why couldn't that stubborn girl just let him in once and for all? Didn't she realize how stupid she was being? Didn't Videl realize just what she was turning her back to? Couldn't she see that by driving Gohan away she was only hurting the both of them in the worst way imaginable?

Why couldn't Gohan just be happy with her? This was so unfair. Why did he have to fall for that girl in particular? He deserved someone who wouldn't cause him so much suffering. He deserved better. Gohan deserved the best in the world. Not just fleeting moments of satisfactions that could only be followed by more pain and rejection and sorrow.

"And then what?" she said in a hushed voice, finally breaking the silence. "What's your plan after she's back to being cold towards you and treats you like a thing again?"

Gohan winced at her harsh words and looked down in dejection. He fidgeted with his wristband absentmindedly. "Can't I just… enjoy it for now?" he whispered. The sadness in his eyes was breaking her heart. "I just… I don't want to think about this right now. There's already so much going on. Trunks is in a critical condition, your weapon blew up, the cyborgs are still killing… For now, I just want to focus on Trunks and on getting stronger…" His voice was barely audible as he finished, "And just… enjoy Videl's kindness while it lasts."

"Oh, Gohan…" Bulma reached over and ran her hand through his hair softly. He sighed and closed his eyes, relaxing somewhat at her gentle touch. "I get it, you know. Just… be careful, okay? This thing with Videl… The way she's treating you… I don't see it ending well."

"Maybe after a while, I could make her change her mind." He cracked a smile, looking up through the leaves of the trees surrounding them and at the sky. "I mean, it's so obvious that she's just as crazy about me as I am about her. As stubborn as she is, she's bound to crack at some point."

"Hopefully," Bulma sighed, playing with her low ponytail distractedly. Her shoulders slumped. "If only that stupid ray had worked as planned."

"It would have," Gohan said, looking back at her. "17 used his shield because he knew he would be done for. The laser ray would have been powerful enough to harm them consequently, and maybe even kill them – I'm sure of it."

She huffed and crossed her arms. "Well it wasn't fast enough, and now look where it got us." Her eyes dimmed with worry. "My poor Trunks…"

"We could try again," Gohan went on. "It's the best chance we've ever had at killing them."

"No." Bulma shook her head. "The Ray of Hope was a failure. I should've just stuck with my original idea, and not give up just because I hit a wall."

Gohan raised his eyebrows in confusion. "Your original idea?"

ooOoo

Gordon pulled up by the group that had been waiting for him. He got out of his aircar and walked around it to open the door for the two seven-year-olds sitting in the backseat. The boy and the girl got out of the vehicle and stayed close to the older boy as they stared back at the group of six. They both had similar curly brown hair to Gordon's and the same shade of bright green eyes; it was obvious that they were siblings.

"Sorry I'm late," he said, putting his car back in its capsule before turning back to the group, not seeming to mind the two kids clinging to each of his legs. "They made me run after them all morning. Meet the twins, Jake and June."

"You brought them?" Fye raised an eyebrow.

"Couldn't leave them for so long," Gordon explained. "Can we just go now? We've got a long trip ahead already." He didn't look comfortable talking about it.

Fye shrugged his shoulders and took out a capsule of his pocket, activated it and threw it on the road. A shiny, metallic gray aircraft, large enough to fit about ten people appeared among the rubble and piles of gravel.

Videl watched the twins, clinging to their big brother. What about their parents? Could it be that they were orphans? Her heart twisted at the thought. Had Gordon been taking care of his little siblings all on his own?

She sat next to Gordon in the aircraft and smiled at the little ones looking back at her shyly, sitting on either side of Gordon's lap with their arms wrapped around his neck. Fred looked particularly dismayed at that, but Videl didn't give a rat's ass about him.

"Hello," she said to the cute little kids with a kind smile. "I'm Videl."

Gordon seemed in a kind of daze, watching her with glazed eyes and parted lips, not believing that he was sitting right next to his idol. He suddenly snapped out of it and addressed his younger siblings, "Say hello, guys. That's the Devil, you know?"

Their big green eyes widened, and they seemed to understand exactly what Gordon meant. Videl cracked a small smirk. So he told them about her fights, huh?

"H-Hi," the little girl said meekly, her head partially hidden in Gordon's neck.

"Hi," said the boy, puffing out his chest, obviously trying to look tough. "I'm Jake."

"I was giving out autographs before you guys got there, actually," she said, her smirk widening. "Want one too? Or three?"

Gordon's eyes lit up and he nodded his head vigorously. He shrugged two pairs of arms off his neck, bent over to grab his backpack at his feet and rummaged through it.

He took three different photos of herself out of his bag and handed them to Videl with a pen and a sheepish smile. She chuckled good-naturedly as she took them and started to write.

"To Gordon," she muttered as she wrote. "It's nice... to hear... your voice. The Devil." She handed him the photo back, and the boy beamed. Grinning, Videl wrote two more autographs for the kids, who stared at her in awe as she scribbled small messages on each photo. "Jake and June, right?"

She was pretty proud that she remembered their name correctly on her first try.

"Speaking of," Shay piped up, her head appearing out of the back of the seat in front of them. She held her hand out to Videl with a big grin; as Videl's gaze lowered to it, she noticed the photo she was holding. "I believe you asked for this."

Videl took the photo and stared at it. A fond smile formed on her lips as her gaze fell on Gohan's awkward stance, remembering how he'd suddenly lost his bearings when the organizer that night had asked him for his stage name. He was actually glancing at her in the shot and blushing a little.

 _Wow…_ Shay had actually managed to capture the very first time their eyes met.

She brought the photo close to her chest and closed her eyes, a tiny smile curving her lips. "Thank you."

Shay beamed.

Fred was in the pilot's seat, with Fye and Meyers in the front seats to his right, and he watched Videl's expression attentively in the rearview mirror, wondering why that photo was so important.

"Who's that?" Jake asked, leaning his head against Videl's arm. June was leaning over her big brother's lap to look at the photo as well.

She put her forefinger over her lips and smiled mysteriously, before pocketing the photo.

"Shay, sit properly, we're going to take off," Fred said, frowning at the pink-haired girl through the rearview mirror. She rolled her eyes but did as she was told. "Everybody fasten your seatbelt."

Videl smiled kindly as she helped the kids sit together in the seat between her and Gordon and tugged at the seatbelt to secure both of them together.

It was a side of her she didn't usually show – but Videl loved kids. They were just so cute, with their chubby cheeks and cute little voices and big, innocent eyes. Once upon a time, Videl had pictured herself becoming a mother.

The image of her peaceful dream came back to her, and her eyes shone with melancholy as she observed the little ones. In another world, she and Gohan could have had a kid together, like in her dream. But with the way things were now… She couldn't see it ever happening.

"I hope Trunks' alright," Delia said, looking out the window as the aircraft lifted off the ground and took to the sky; she was sitting next to Shay.

Videl swallowed thickly and looked down. " _He's barely alive,"_ Gohan had said. Her chest tightened in dread. Trunks had to pull through. That kid had to live, no matter what. He was way too young, and Gohan cared so much about him, it'd break his heart if Trunks couldn't make it.

A little head of curly brown hair leaned against her waist, small arms wrapping around her. Videl looked over and her heart filled with warmth as she was met with cute, wondering green eyes. She touched the little girl's pigtails and gave a genuine smile.

"Are you trying to console me, little one?"

"You look sad," her small voice mumbled, as June snuggled closer to the young woman.

"Kids really like you, huh," Gordon observed with a soft smile, patting his little brother's head. Jake grinned and hugged him.

"What can I say, it's a gift," Videl chuckled, poking June's nose. The little girl giggled and rubbed her little button nose.

ooOoo

Gohan stared at the white-tiled floor as he walked absent-mindedly through the hallways of the hospital, his arms crossed, and his face scrunched up in a thoughtful frown.

"A time machine, huh…" he muttered to himself.

He couldn't help thinking back to the _Back to the Future_ trilogy, and how Marty almost prevented his own birth, or how Biff almost got away with destroying Marty's family, or how Marty almost got killed in the past. Sure, it was just sci-fiction, and the adversity was there to make the movies interesting, but there was also some truth to it, wasn't there? Going back to the past could mess up the whole timeline.

When he'd pointed it out to Bulma, she'd smiled and said, "Actually, it wouldn't. If my theory is correct, and knowing me it most likely is, traveling back to the past would just create another timeline. Nothing that would happen there would affect our world."

"Then why bother?" he had frowned. "I mean, sure, it'd be nice if at least one world gets to live in peace, but it wouldn't save our world, would it?"

"I was actually thinking of trying to find out more about the cyborgs," Bulma had explained. "If I could study them, I'm sure I could find a way to turn them off somehow. Dr. Gero was brilliant, so he had to know that his plan might backfire. I'm sure he had some kind of way to stop the cyborgs in case it went wrong. I'm ninety-nine percents positive that I'm right."

"Didn't stop them from killing him though."

"True, but he most likely wasn't fast enough."

"So why did you stop working on the time machine idea?" Gohan had asked, a thoughtful frown blemishing his features.

Bulma had sighed in discouragement and slouched against the bench. "I hit a stump. I couldn't get it right. It was so frustrating – I'm not used to failing, you know. Then I got the idea for the laser ray and focused on that instead."

Gohan had looked ahead, his eyes lost in the distance. "Think I could help maybe?"

Bulma chuckled. "Heh, what the hell. You were always a smart kid after all."

Gohan wasn't sure he could be of any real help. While he sometimes opened his old books at night for some reading before bed, he hadn't studied seriously in years. Well, if he could at least help motivate Bulma, that would be something, right? He missed working on science, too.

"Oh, if it isn't Mr. Anonymous," a somewhat familiar voice said in amusement. Gohan turned his head to his left and recognized the young doctor who had forced him to stay in observation at the hospital for longer than he'd needed, last time he was there.

"Dr. Jen Dolan. Hello," he greeted with a smile, offering her his hand. She shook it firmly while her professional eyes observed him carefully.

"You barely treated your injuries, just as I thought," she said, crossing her arms in disapproval.

Gohan cracked an apologetic smile, scratching the back of his head. "I'm fine, really."

"Always singing the same song, I see," she rolled her eyes, but her lips were twitching for a smile. "Come with me." She tugged at his forearm and led him away from his original destination, also known as Trunks' hospital room.

"I'm actually here visiting my friend…" he pleaded timidly, not daring to disrespect her authority.

"I figured," she replied, glancing back at him over her shoulder. She opened a door and dragged him inside. "But I think you can spare me a few minutes to take care of your injuries properly, can't you?"

They were in an examination room. Gohan looked around for a bit as Dr. Dolan made him sit on the examination table. There was a sink and cabinets on his left, and various informative posters hanging on the wall on his right.

"Shirt off, please."

He figured he might as well humor her, and pulled up his blue undershirt and orange top over his head. The young doctor frowned at the blackened spots, scratches and bruises on his skin – not to mention his numerous, worrying scars.

"Pants off, too."

Gohan did as he was told, and just as she suspected, his knees were scorched pretty badly, and his legs had their fair share of injuries and scars as well.

"You were right, you look soooo fine!" she huffed sarcastically.

Gohan crossed his arms over his bare, muscular chest. "Well, I am. It's just a few scratches. A lot of them are from training earlier, for that matter."

"Whatever. Sit still and let me work."

Gohan smiled in amusement, an eyebrow raised. That doctor sure was committed to her job. She looked barely a few years older than him. He wondered how a teenager comes to decide to become a doctor when two abominations keep taking more and more lives. Maybe it was a lifelong dream; a vocation, a calling. She was certainly cut for the job, in any case.

"You've been fighting them from the very beginning, right?" she said; he didn't react when she applied disinfectant on a flesh wound. "I remember hearing about a kid facing them alone."

"Ah…" he blushed slightly in embarrassment. "Yeah, that was me."

"And you've been fighting them alone for all these years?" She met his gaze with serious eyes. Gohan noticed they were light brown. For some reason, he felt he could trust this woman; maybe it was the raw honesty shining in their depths.

"The first time they appeared," he started quietly. "My dad's friends all went to fight them, but the cyborgs killed them easily. My mentor died protecting me." _Again,_ Gohan added for himself with a painful pang in his heart. "But for some reason, the cyborgs spared me."

He remembered the white hot rage boiling in his veins as he'd fought them on that cursed day. His hair had turned gold for the first time then, and the twin monsters had been laughing at him as he kept getting up again and again, no matter how much it hurt all over, no matter that he barely had any energy left – Gohan had kept getting back up and fought them like an enraged, reckless, wild animal.

They had quite enjoyed themselves, tossing him around and knocking him down over and over again. Maybe they took a kind of sick, twisted liking to him. Maybe they realized they were going to be bored now that they'd just broken all of their toys, and he had been the only one left. Whatever the reason was, 17 and 18 had chosen to spare him on that day, and while his life only went from bad to worse from that moment on, Gohan was determined to make good use of their careless decision and make them pay for every single sin they had committed.

"How old were you at the time?" Dr. Dolan asked, a serious frown etched on her young face.

"Nine."

Her movement paused as she let out a breath of disbelief. "Jesus…"

Gohan cracked a small smile. "It's nice to share this with someone. I hope it's not too much of a burden."

Jen smiled back at him, before focusing back on her task. "I'm a doctor. My job is to help ease my patients' burden. And that means I'm bound to secrecy, too."

"That's always good to know," Gohan chuckled slightly. "You're definitely great at your job in any case."

Her eyes lit up, and her cheeks turned a light pink. "I do my best," she said humbly.

"It shows." His eyes glazed over as he stared aimlessly behind her. "I do my best, too. Hopefully it pays off one day – the sooner the better."

"Yeah…" she nodded, meeting his gaze with a timid smile. Gohan smiled back at her as she straightened up, finally done treating his injuries. But her warm hands were still resting against his bare chest.

He didn't realize her face had gotten closer. Gohan felt confused as he kept looking at her, the signals she was giving him flying straight over his head. He didn't understand what was happening, and then out of nowhere he felt her lips on his; he was so completely taken by surprise that he didn't react right away.

When he came to his senses, Gohan grabbed her arms and pushed her back, frowning in thoughts. He didn't have the slightest idea as to how it had come to this. He definitely misunderstood what her smile meant, and he apparently misled her into thinking he was inviting her to kiss him. Looking at her confused expression now… Geez, this was awkward.

"I'm sorry," he said, his tone as gentle as he could. "But my heart belongs to someone else." Her eyes widened and she took a few steps back, turning away from him. She hid her face in her hands.

"Oh… Oh God, oh geez, I can't believe I just…" she mumbled to herself in disbelief. "This was so unprofessional too, I could lose my job over something like this." She finally turned around to face him and looked at him with distressed, shameful eyes. "I'm so, so sorry. I thought… Obviously I misunderstood. God, I am so sorry."

Gohan got off the examination table and put his hands on her shoulders, looking right into her eyes. "It's nothing to make such a fuss about. It was just a kiss, and it barely lasted a second. I'm sorry if I misled you."

She cracked a small smile. "It's because you're so kind and gentle. I bet your girlfriend can't ever resist your smile."

Gohan stepped back and ran his hand through his hair – unknowingly making the young woman stare, her lips parted. _Damn. He's hot._

"I should go see my friend," he said. Jen frowned slightly; he was obviously avoiding the subject of his girlfriend. Could he have lied to spare her feelings?

"What's her name?" she asked as Gohan pulled up his pants.

"Videl," he replied without a second thought – too naturally to have been a fake name. Well, at least that wasn't a lie.

He put on his blue undershirt and his orange top, then tied his blue belt around his waist.

"What's your name, anyway?" she asked out of the blue. "I think you can tell me now."

He cracked a smile. "I guess so. It's Son Gohan."

She smiled back. "Well, nice to meet you, Son Gohan."

He walked over to the door, but turned around just as he was about to push the handle and looked back at her over his shoulder, his coal eyes gleaming with mirth. "You're bound to secrecy anyway, right?"

"Doctor, patient confidentiality," she confirmed, chuckling.

He offered her a last smile. "That's always good to know."

ooOoo

Fred gave the controls to Fye and stretched his back and arms. He'd been piloting for hours and was glad for the switch. Besides, now he could finally hang out with the lovely young lady that was accompanying them to West City.

He leaned his hips against the back of the front seats, watching her as she played "guess what I'm thinking of" with the kids. She sure was beautiful, with her long, thick raven hair and deep blue eyes and full cherry lips, and her creamy skin, her toned body, her lovely curves. She was like, objectively gorgeous.

She said he wasn't her type, but Fred figured she was just playing hard to get – which she was more than entitled to, given how friggin' _hot_ she was. He smirked, and then straightened up and tousled his curly blonde locks with his hand. Fred was confident he could get her; he was charming and good looking, and he never had any problem getting girls, so he saw no reason for Videl not to like him. In any case, she was just way too hot – he had to give it a shot no matter what.

And he planned on giving it his best shot.

"Does it have claws?" Jake asked Videl. She smiled and nodded.

"Yep. Your turn, June."

"Hm…" The little girl held her chin in deep thought. "Can it fly?"

"Nope," Videl answered. "Sorry kiddo."

"Does it have wings, though?" Fred cut in, resting his arm against the seat in front of Videl. "A lot of animals can't fly despite having wings."

"Good point," she said. "But no, it doesn't have wings. Wanna try a question, Gordon?"

"Is it a tiger?" the boy asked calmly, the side of his head resting against the back of his seat.

Videl raised her eyebrows. "Wow, that was quick." She chuckled. "Yeah, it was a tiger. You're pretty good at this, huh?"

"Gordon's super smart," Shay piped up, her head coming out of the back of her seat. "Did you know he was the one who figured out about Trunks and Gohan?"

"Is that so?" Videl smiled at the boy, who blushed and looked away.

"Yeah. His clothes were kinda a dead giveaway," he muttered, scratching his wrist.

"Trunks and who?" Fred asked, intent on not being left out this time.

"Gohan," Meyers replied from the front, looking at them over the back of his seat. "He's the golden fighter."

Fred widened his eyes. "Wow, really?"

"I told you that we've met him," Shay reminded him, rolling her eyes. "He's the one training Trunks, for that matter."

"Does that mean we might see him at the hospital?" Fred asked in wonder, his eyebrows raised.

"Most likely, yeah," Delia replied from the window seat next to Shay, still looking at the scenery outside. "They're really close."

"Wow," Fred breathed in awe. "You remember when he saved us that time?" he said to Delia. "We wouldn't have made it if he hadn't shown up."

"I'm pretty sure he's saved all of us at least once," she remarked, cracking a small smile as she looked at her reflection on the glass.

"Yep," Shay agreed happily. "Me, too. And Fye and Meyers and Gordon. What about you, Videl?"

The young woman in question had fallen quiet when they started talking about Gohan, but she looked up when Shay addressed her and gave a mild smile. "Yeah, he's saved me too."

"Well, it's not surprising," Fred commented. "He's so amazing. I caught a glimpse of him back then, you know. He was glowing, with golden hair standing up straight and the most badass look as he took on the cyborgs head on." His eyes glazed over. "He's so cool. I can't believe I might meet him today."

"He's super kind, too," Shay chirped. "And really handsome."

"I kinda have a crush on him," Delia admitted with a faint blush, finally turning away from the window to glance over at Shay and Fred. "Too bad I'm too young for him."

"Can't blame ya'," Videl muttered under her breath. Shay and Delia snorted out a laugh, Gordon smirked, and at the front of the aircraft, Meyers and Fye shared a grin.

Fred looked at each of them one by one and once again, he felt like there was an inside joke that he was the only one that wasn't included in. He frowned.

"What is it, what is it?" little June asked, her pigtails sweeping left and right as she moved her head from Gordon to Videl.

"Yeah, what's so funny anyway?" Fred asked, crossing his arms.

"You'll know soon enough," Fye smirked, glancing at Videl in the rearview mirror.

The tall young man rolled his eyes. "Whatever."

"Anyways, it's my turn now!" Jake piped up. "I already chose, so guess what I'm thinking of?"

As they resumed the game, Fred decided to hang around and play with them. It was a good way to pass the time during the trip, and it also gave him the opportunity to be with Videl and show her that he was good with kids too.

"Is it a frog?" he asked when it was his turn.

"Nu-huh," Jake grinned. "It's a tough one, huh?"

"It's a crocodile," Gordon said. Jake's face fell. His brother chuckled and patted his head affectionately. "Don't feel bad, Jake-Jake. I'm super smart."

Videl smiled fondly at the scene, and Fred couldn't help staring at her, a light blush streaking across his cheeks. Man, she was so beautiful. He had to have her.

ooOoo

A deep, dejected smile escaped his lips. Gohan slouched in his chair, not taking his eyes off the young boy in the hospital bed. He hated seeing his friend like this. Trunks had a bandage around his head and numerous plasters on his face – his cheek, his eyebrow arch, his cheekbone, his forehead… And then there were the casts, on both his legs as well as his left arm. And the tight bandages around his torso.

It was so painful to see his dearest friend like this, so damaged and weak. The regular beeps from the machine connected to him were so depressing.

Gohan hated hospitals. And this new, dreadful memory was another reason he despised this place.

"You're still here?" Bulma asked, closing the door behind her. Gohan smiled at her tiredly as she came up to him. "He's not gonna heal faster if you hang around him, you know. Go home and get some rest."

"I could tell you the same," he countered, raising an eyebrow at her.

"I'm his mom."

"I'm his big brother."

Bulma cracked a smile. She sat on the edge of the bed and stroked her little boy's fine lilac hair. "Can't argue with that."

Gohan got to his feet and dusted his pants. "Want something to drink? Coffee, maybe?"

She nodded. "That'd be nice. Thanks."

He gave her a kind smile before walking out the room and heading for the cafeteria. Gohan knew his way pretty well around this hospital from all the times he'd been stuck there after one of his more violent fights against the cyborgs. It was not a fact he liked, but there was nothing he could do about it. With the way he lived, he was bound to end up here or any other hospital many times still.

His thoughts reverted to Videl, as they had always been, ever since he met her. He smiled, thinking of how sweet and gentle she'd been with him a few days ago. He'd been dying to go see her again since then, but with visiting Trunks and training, Gohan hadn't really found the time to go to her. He hadn't even been training all that much either since he'd been spending pretty much all of his time at the hospital. He just wanted to be there when Trunks woke up, and he wanted to know as soon as possible when his condition improved.

He stopped walking and leaned his shoulder against the wall, heaving a deep sigh. Trunks was going to be fine, right? He closed his eyes and rested his head against the cool cement. He wished Videl could be there with him right now. He needed her so much. He needed her warmth and her eyes, and he was dying to hold her in his arms and bury his face in the crook of her neck and breathe in her beautiful scent. Her presence acted like a tranquilizer on him. He loved the way she made him feel – so soothing and peaceful. Well, when she wasn't mean to him, that is.

His eyes suddenly shot open and he stood up straight. His head turned around left and right. No way… He could feel her _ki_ nearby. Very close by, in fact. His heart picked up. _Okay, calm down and focus,_ he told himself, narrowing his eyes in concentration. It was only because he was so familiar with Videl's energy signature that he was able to sense it approaching even though she wasn't fighting, but it was still harder to pick up when her _ki_ wasn't flaring up.

"Of course," he muttered to himself, a wide grin stretching out his lips as he started running towards the entrance.

He got there after just a few moments, and his eyes lit up when they found her. He saw only her. It was like the world around her had faded out. And then she met his gaze and a fond smile formed on her beautiful lips – and Gohan sped up the pace, rushing to her eagerly.

Happiness filled up his heart when he picked her up and twirled her around, and they both started laughing. Finally, he put her down and wrapped his arms around her shoulders, breathing in her hair. Videl wrapped her arms around his back and rested her cheek against his chest, smiling in content as she listened to his crazy heartbeat.

"I can't believe you're here," he murmured, tightening his hold around her.

"She didn't come alone, you know," Fye cut in, rolling his eyes.

"Yeah," Shay nodded. "I know you missed Videl but it's no reason to completely ignore us. We've come a long way to visit Trunks!"

Gohan blinked as he turned his head to look at the group that came along with Videl. "Oh, hi guys." He grinned. "Didn't see you there, heh."

Then he noticed the tall blonde man standing by Delia. "I don't think we've met. I'm Gohan."

The guy, who had been frowning at him for some reason, suddenly gawked at him. "Y-You're Gohan?" he sputtered in disbelief.

"Yeah… That's my name," he replied slowly, before narrowing his eyes at the teens. "You guys told him, didn't you?"

"Shay did," Delia said, quick to sell out her friend.

"Wait, I just said we've met him, not that it was Gohan!" the pink-haired girl defended. "Meyers was the one who blundered, not me!"

The boy in question smiled sheepishly, shifting his feet uneasily. "Sorry. Didn't know it was a secret."

"If it wasn't, I would've long let the media know my identity. They've been dying to find out who I am," Gohan reminded; he was still holding Videl against him, unwilling to let go of her just yet. Or ever.

"Well, now they know it's a secret," Videl cut in, not willing to move either. She looked up at him. "So let's move on and go see Trunks. That's why we came all this way for, after all."

Gohan cracked a smile, his eyes softening, and touched her cheek tenderly. "Yeah."

He finally pulled back, but didn't break eye contact and grabbed her hand, starting to walk back from the way he came. "Follow me, then."

As the group followed the couple, Fred glared at the teenagers one by one. "Couldn't have mentioned to me that she was the golden fighter's fucking girlfriend, could you?"

"Nope," Fye grinned. "Though I must admit, I'm a bit disappointed that Gohan didn't notice you've been hitting on Videl. Wouldn't been fun to see him get jealous."

"You little brat…" Fred hissed, before shooting an accusing look at his sister. "Thanks for having my back, _sis_."

"Hey, you're a grown up, you make your own decisions," Delia shrugged. "It's not my fault you can only think with your pants."

Up front, Gohan's brow had been furrowing more and more as he listened in the hushed conversation. He glanced at Videl, who seemed unaware of what was going on behind them.

He pushed down the roaring jealousy begging to burst out. That guy hadn't known about him and Videl, obviously, and it's not like Gohan could blame him for falling under Videl's charms. With how beautiful she was, there must be tons of men fantasizing about her. Gohan scowled. The mere thought of it was making him sick. Videl was _his_ , damn it.

"Where's the quiet guy?" he asked suddenly, noticing the absence of one of Trunks' friends. "Gordon, right?"

"He brought his little sister and brother with him on the trip, and they fell asleep on the way so he's staying with them in the aircraft," Delia explained.

"You should've seen how Videl was playing with them," Shay grinned. "It was so cute!"

Gohan glanced at Videl with a raised eyebrow. "Really?"

She shrugged nonchalantly, though a light pinkish color tinted her cheeks. "Kids love me. Can't help it."

He grinned. "I have to see that."

She rolled her eyes, smiling. Gohan gave her hand a light squeeze. Oh, how he wished he and Videl could always be like this… If only it wasn't just temporary.

"Where will you guys be staying by the way?" he inquired then.

"I packed my capsule house," Videl said.

"Oh, us too!" Shay chirped excitedly. "Say, could I stay over tonight? I'm dying to see where you live!"

"Idiot, she probably wants to be with Gohan tonight," Fye smirked.

The young man in question felt his face flare up, and he turned his head to stare ahead of him again. He heard Videl chuckle and glanced at her, smiling sheepishly through his bright blush.

"Well, he's not wrong," she whispered to him, her eyes gleaming in mirth.

Gohan's lips parted slightly; he felt the sudden urge to bend down and kiss her avidly. But he didn't dare to let his instincts loose in public. She smirked, as though she knew exactly what he was thinking.

Soon, they reached Trunks' room. Gohan stopped before it and turned to face the others, his eyes serious.

"It's not pretty in there," he warned. "Trunks was caught in the middle of a powerful explosion, and his condition is pretty bad. We're still waiting for him to wake up."

Delia gasped. "Is… Is he going to be okay?"

"He has to!" Shay affirmed passionately. "It's Trunks!"

Gohan's features softened. "So, are you sure you want to see him? If you don't think you can take it, no one will judge you."

"I'm going in," Fye declared, reaching past Gohan to open the door. Gohan let him, moving aside, and Fye walked in the room.

A blue-haired woman turned around at the sound, blinking at the unknown visitor. She looked past the tall teenage boy to shoot a questioning look at Gohan, who was standing in the doorway.

"Where's my coffee?"

"Oh…" He scratched his hair and gave a sheepish smile. "Sorry, forgot about it. Trunks' got visitors, as you can see."

Fye was rooted on the spot, staring at the broken body of his friend. He felt sick.

Gohan walked into the room, still holding Videl's hand, pulling her with him. Delia and Shay followed, and finally, Meyers.

"It's getting a little too crowded in there," Fred said. "You said you wanted coffee?" he asked Bulma through the open door.

"Oh, that'd be nice. Thank you," she smiled.

He closed the door and left. Bulma stood from Trunks' side and couldn't help looking at Videl. She had actually come to give Gohan her support. Maybe he was right. Maybe he could still make her change her mind.

"Hello. Nice to see you again," she told the young woman. Videl glanced at Gohan in worry. Bulma smiled. "Didn't he tell you? He knows we've met."

"You weren't supposed to tell him," Videl scowled, letting go of Gohan's hand to cross her arms.

"She only did to make me feel better," he defended his friend. His voice lowered, "After that rainy night."

Her eyes widened slightly in realization, and then Videl looked away. She walked around the room to get a better look at Trunks. She felt a pang in her chest at the sight of him. So many bandages, so many casts. Poor kid.

Fye, Meyers, Delia and Shay were still staring at the boy in the hospital bed, barely aware of what had been happening since they got in the room. It was just so awful.

"Those fucking cyborgs," Fye muttered hatefully, clenching his fists at his sides.

Bulma frowned slightly. So that was where Trunks had picked up the bad habit of cursing. She refrained from commenting on it, however, given the situation. Well, not yet anyway.

"It's so nice of you guys to have come to visit Trunks," she said, smiling kindly at the kids. "I'm Bulma, Trunks' mom."

But they were still too absorbed by the sight of Trunks to pay much attention to what was going on around them. Bulma smiled sadly, before turning to Gohan and Videl, asking them silently to introduce Trunks' friends to her.

"That's Delia," Gohan said, motioning the frizzy blonde.

"And that's Shay," Videl added, showing the pink-haired, dark-skinned teenage girl. "And they are Fye and Meyers. There's also Gordon, but he stayed in the aircraft because his little siblings fell asleep on the way."

There was a knock, and then Fred opened the door and walked in, holding a steaming carton cup. He handed it to Bulma.

"Thanks," she smiled. "Um…?"

"Fred," he said simply. He was about to say something, but the words were lost on his tongue as his gaze fell on the sleeping boy. His breath hitched. "I… I'll go get Gordon." And he left again.

"He's gonna be okay, right?" Delia whispered dreadfully.

Gohan felt his throat tighten. His hands trembled. _Is he?_

Warm arms wrapped around him; Videl rested her head against his right side, giving him comfort as she watched Trunks, worry lines creasing her brow. Gohan hugged her back, holding her tightly, and kissed the top of her head, grateful for her soothing presence. He closed his eyes and soaked in her scent, her warmth, her tenderness.

 _I love you so much…_

God, how he needed that girl. If only this wasn't only temporary.

* * *

 _[It's almost 6 AM and I have work later this afternoon. But I still managed to update again! Yay! :D Forgive any typo I may have missed, as I've said, it's nearly six in the morning._

 _Hope you enjoyed! Thanks for reading, and please review~~! I want to wake up to tons of reviews, hehe. :P_

 _Until next time! Hopefully next week ;) ]_

* * *

 _September 4, 2016_


	13. I've Missed You

_Chapter Thirteen: I've Missed You_

* * *

It was so surreal. It was like she was watching somebody else's life on TV or something, not herself. Delia couldn't take her eyes off Trunks' broken body. He had so many casts and bandages, he was like a ghost. It was like the whiteness of the hospital room was slowly but surely swallowing him whole, leaving him nothing more than a vague shape in the light at the end of the tunnel.

She had come to adore this cocky yet adorable and sweet eleven-year-old. Trunks was like the little brother she never had. Seeing him like this… it hurt so much. It felt like someone was gripping her heart into their hand and slowly, _slowly_ crushing it.

Trunks had to wake up. He needed to wake up already. Her brow furrowed deeply, and Delia tried to will her friend to wake up with the sole power of her mind – evidently, to no avail. Her shoulders slumped in defeat and resignation and she heaved a deep, dejected sigh.

She felt a hand on her shoulder. Delia looked up into Gordon's comforting, bright green eyes. He offered her a mild, encouraging smile, the dimmed light in his emerald irises giving her some strength.

"He's going to be all right, Delia," he assured her, his voice quiet. "Let's go grab something to eat in the meantime. The others are already in the cafeteria."

She swept her gaze around the hospital room and, indeed, only Trunks' mom remained, sitting by his side and holding his hand. Delia smiled in resignation at her friend and nodded her head. "Okay."

Bulma gave them a tired smile and they nodded at her in return, before heading out of the room. Delia let out a heavy sigh, looking down at the white-tiled floor in discouragement. She wasn't even hungry.

The pretty blonde felt a strong arm wrap around her back, and welcomed Gordon's warmth as they walked together to the cafeteria. She leaned her head on his shoulder, letting the taller boy lead the way.

She was so grateful for her friends. Shay was actually her childhood friend, her best friend from age three at the time, but then Delia's family had to move away when she was eight. They were so lucky to have somehow found each other again after all these years. Shay had been on her own for several years since the cyborgs decimated her city; she'd lost everyone in the attack and only managed to save herself thanks to Gohan turning up in time and distracting the cyborgs.

Delia had known Fye, Gordon and Meyers since the fourth grade. When the cyborgs had attacked their city, they had managed to stick together and help each other out in the aftermath. Meyers still had his parents, but he had lost his two big brothers in the attack. Fye lived with his father, having lost his mother to those blasted cyborgs, while Gordon lived with distant relatives and his twin siblings. It had been surprising that Gordon's uncle and aunt hadn't watched the kids while they were off to West City, for that matter, but maybe Gordon hadn't wanted to burden his relatives, who had been so kind to him and his siblings, welcoming them into their home without a second thought. They had been practically strangers to them, having barely known each other before the attack.

When Delia had bumped into Shay by chance several months ago, she had been ecstatic to have found her childhood best friend alive and well. They had caught up and talked for hours, and when Delia learned that Shay was on her own, she all but commanded her friend to come live with her and Fred.

Shay had easily clicked with the boys, being the likable girl that she was, and was quick to tell them all about the underground fight club and her idol: the Devil. The boys were charmed by Videl's looks and skills right away, and Delia found herself fascinated by this young woman, just a few years older than herself, who was able to overpower men that were two, three times her size. She was amazing, and Delia had naturally felt drawn to the talented and beautiful fighter. They all understood perfectly why Shay loved the Devil so much and had been following her around for over a year to keep watching her fights.

The Devil was known to move around a lot, and Delia doubted that after they left West City Videl would go back to Dawn City. This would be quite inconvenient for the boys; while Delia knew she'd have no problem moving since she only had her brother and Shay, both Fye and Meyers still had parents, and Gordon had his uncle and aunt, whom he needed to help raise Jake and June. The thought of being separated from her friends made her chest prickle. But if it ever came to it, Delia knew that she would only have two choices: either stay with the boys and leave Shay on her own again, or go with Shay after the Devil.

Delia hoped she would never need to make that choice.

Gordon let go of her when they came up to the entrance of the cafeteria and gave her a sheepish smile. Delia chuckled, getting that he didn't want their friends to see them so close and make wrong assumptions – or rather, tease the hell out of them for it. Fye, especially, would have never let them live it down.

They found their not so little group in the right corner, by a wide window. As the two friends got closer, Delia found herself quirking an eyebrow at the amount of food and empty plates on the tables.

"Oh, Delia, Gordon, you gotta see this!" Shay exclaimed in a mix of awe and giddiness. "Gohan's been eating and he's like, a walking food vacuum!"

The handsome young man in question flushed at that, his mouth full of bread and meat and sauce. He swallowed and muttered, "I was hungry, okay."

"Are you hiding an army of soldiers in your stomach or something?" Meyers said in disbelief, his eyes wide as he stared at Gohan. "Is that how you're so strong?"

Gohan laughed slightly. "You know, you're not that far from the truth."

They all raised their eyebrows in confusion and curiosity at that.

"What do you mean?" Videl asked; she was sitting next to him.

Gohan scratched his cheek, looking down at his plate. He took a spoon of mashed potatoes and chewed slowly, looking thoughtful. As if he was pondering his options.

"I guess I can tell you guys. But this is a secret, okay?" He gave Meyers a pointed look, to which the dark blue-haired boy chuckled sheepishly.

Videl frowned. Delia and Gordon sat down on two chairs at the end of the row, facing Gohan, watching him with the utmost attention. Shay looked just about to burst with impatience, while Fye and Meyers stared at Gohan in awe, ready to drink in his words avidly.

"Well, you see…" the young warrior started, his gaze averted, rubbing the back of his neck.

But at that precise moment he saw Fred coming up to them with the kids, and closed his mouth out of instinct. When the others followed his eyes, they all groaned at the interruption.

"What's up, guys?" Fred said, pulling up a chair to sit on it backward. Jake and June rushed to their brother and climbed on each side of his lap.

"Just tell us, Gohan," Videl said impatiently. "It doesn't matter at this point. And I've always wanted to know."

He glanced at her nervously. "You could've just asked…" he mumbled.

"What's going on?" Fred asked.

"Gohan was about to tell us how he's so strong," Shay whispered excitedly, stars in her eyes. "It's a secret."

"Oohhh, secret," Jake repeated with a mysterious tone. June giggled into her hands.

Fred gaped at the younger man. "Whoa… For real?"

"I… uh…" Gohan stammered nervously, unsure of what he should do now. He knew the kids and Videl, but he just met that Fred guy – and the fact that he'd been hitting on Videl for hours on their way to West City still didn't sit well with him, as unreasonable as it was.

"Tell us," Videl said again. "Or just tell me, I don't really care."

"Hey!" Shay and Delia cried indignantly, while the boys looked just about ready to protest just as fervently. Videl smirked at them.

"Hey, it's only right that I get some privileges."

"Is it?" Gohan raised an eyebrow at her, cracking a playful smile.

Videl rolled her eyes, and then out of the blue she grabbed his collar, pulled him to her, and kissed him roughly on the lips for a long moment. Gohan had widened his eyes at first, perhaps worried and embarrassed by their audience, but he soon let go of any restraint and kissed Videl back just as avidly, placing his hand against the back of her neck.

Gordon was quick to cover his siblings' eyes while he, himself, had the sense to look away, giving the couple some privacy – which proved to be completely useless seeing as the others were staring at the kissing pair with wide eyes and gaping jaws.

Videl smirked as she pulled away, satisfied by Gohan's dazed face, his eyes still shut, his hand still on her neck.

"See," she whispered to him. "That's what I meant."

Gohan slowly opened his eyes and stared into hers, his expression thoughtful despite the deep blush streaked across his face. "Fair enough…"

"But we want to know too!" Shay protested passionately, slamming her fist on the table. The others readily agreed, nodding and voicing their sentiment.

Gohan turned to look at the lot of them and cracked a small smile, rubbing the back of his neck. "Oh, well… I guess it's fine if I tell you."

"Yes!" Delia grinned, leaning forward on the table, eager eyes watching Gohan excitedly.

He sighed, glancing at Videl again. He hoped he was doing the right thing…

"My dad wasn't from Earth. So basically I'm half alien, with an Earthling mother and a Saiyan father."

"So that's why… Super Saiyan…" Gordon whispered breathlessly. Gohan raised an eyebrow at the boy. He was surprised he knew the name of the transformation.

"Oh yeah, you're right," Fye realized. "Trunks showed us how he turned Super Saiyan. Never said what Saiyan meant though."

Well, that explained it. Gohan felt like rolling his eyes; Trunks was such a show-off. "Saiyans are extinct now, but once upon a time they were a race of proud warriors with unlimited potential. Trunks' father was named after their planet, Vegeta, because he was their prince."

"So Trunks is like… your prince?" Delia murmured in awe. Gohan cracked a smile.

"I guess he is."

Silence fell as everyone digested what they'd just learned. Gohan hesitated but finally gathered his courage and looked at Videl. He was relieved to see no disgust or betrayal or hatred in her blue eyes – she just looked thoughtful.

"And it never occurred to you to tell me before you f–" Videl cut herself off mid-word, glancing over at the couple of seven-year-olds. "Before you, well, before we… you know."

Gohan felt his face burn. He looked away, rubbing his nose with the side of his hand in an attempt to hide his blush – well aware that all eyes were on them. "We'll talk about this when kids aren't listening to us, if you don't mind."

"Fine."

He winced. That "fine" did not sound good. Gohan looked back at Videl at the sound of her chair grating on the floor as Videl got up. His shoulders slumped. Man, he'd really done it this time, huh? But it wasn't like he'd had many opportunities to tell Videl about himself. Lately, they'd barely talked when they saw each other, as their relationship was purely physical. He figured he could have mentioned it the night they spent together… But why ruin such a perfect moment with stories about his origins?

"Where are you…?"

"I feel like having pudding," she cut him off before he could finish his question. With that, she strode off towards the food line. His gaze followed her, and Gohan slouched back in his chair as he kept watching her.

"She's pretty mad," Meyers observed. "I don't know why you've kept it from her. You being half alien isn't stranger than a pair of robot monsters that used to be humans."

"It just… never came up," Gohan sighed in dejection, not taking his eyes off the woman he loved as she waited in line.

And then he froze, and anything the others might have said afterwards flew right through his ears. Dr. Jen Dolan had come up to Videl to stand in line right behind her. His body tensed up. He swallowed.

Gohan willed himself to calm down. Okay, so Videl and the doctor who had kissed him earlier today were standing right next to each other, but why would they even start a conversation? It was silly of him to get worried. And even if they exchanged a few words, why on earth would they ever mention him when neither had the slightest idea that they had a common acquaintance?

Besides, even if by some stroke of bad luck Videl ended up learning about the kiss – so what? That kiss meant nothing to him, and he barely felt a thing when it happened. Videl would know that, he was sure of it. While they weren't technically together, he was loyal and devoted to her and her only. She was the one and only for him, and Gohan knew that Videl was well aware of the fact. She would know that it wasn't something that he meant to happen. Gohan was sure of it.

Then again… Would Videl get jealous?

If the roles were reversed… His fists suddenly clenched on his lap under the table and his jaw tightened, his eyes narrowing as he was reminded of that tattooed guy who had been about to kiss Videl. His aura flared up suddenly, rising the wind around him. The mere thought of that guy just _touching_ Videl… of _anyone else_ touching _his_ Videl… It made him so livid, he felt like punching something. Or someone. With a bald head and tattoos. _That jackass._

Gohan suddenly stood up, grabbed a few plates and walked away. Well, whatever. He didn't care whether Videl found out about the kiss. No, in fact, he kinda wanted her to get jealous. _Serves her right._

She had actually been about to kiss that other guy, while Gohan had only been on the receiving end of a misunderstanding. It made him so furious. To think she would purposely kiss someone else _right in front of him_ , just to try and drive him away – like he'd ever let it happen!

"Tch."

What right did she have to get mad at him for not telling her about his origins? _She_ had been the one shutting him out, _she_ was the one who wanted to keep their relationship purely physical. Just _when_ , exactly, had he been supposed to tell her about him when the only thing she let him do was… well, _her_!

He got out to the garden and found himself a tree. Gohan sat down on the grass and leaned back against the trunk, setting the plates of food in front of him. Scowling, he ate his frustration away, or tried to anyway.

Videl could be so fucking annoying. Why did he love her anyway?

He slowed down his pace, chewing slower, and despite himself started to answer his own question. His eyes softened.

Why he loved her? The question should rather be, _how could he not love her?_

ooOoo

Jen had to do a double-take when she noticed the young woman standing before her in the line. While the young doctor was by no means attracted to the same gender, she couldn't help but stare at the beauty in front of her. She blinked and stared in awe. That girl was especially beautiful – she just caught the eye without even trying, even as she scowled and crossed her arms in obvious annoyance.

"Everything all right?" Jen asked before she could stop herself.

The raven-haired girl turned to her. Deep blue eyes bore into her. Jen found herself staring. She was just so gorgeous. Some people were just way too lucky.

"Oh, everything's just peachy," she huffed, rolling her eyes. "The guy that's been fucking me _just_ forgot to mention he was half alien."

Jen stared dumbly at the girl. What a foul mouth… And yet, it somehow only made her seem _hotter_. How odd. "Half… alien…?"

"I mean, I know I shouldn't get so worked up over it after the way I've been treating him, but what if he'd gotten me pregnant?" the girl vented furiously, seemed uncaring about who was listening. "Was he going to wait until he had no other choice before telling me I have a part alien baby in the oven? That deceptive motherfucker..."

"Maybe he was worried you wouldn't take it well," Jen offered timidly. The girl just rolled her eyes.

"Who cares that he's half alien? I always knew he wasn't your regular Joe since he can fucking match the cyborgs. What, did he think I would be shocked or something? What am I, an idiot?"

All blood abandoned her face; Jen gaped at the girl. No way… Was that actually… _For real…?_

"Are you…" Her voice was so hoarse, Jen had to clear her throat before trying again. "By any chance, is your name Videl?"

The beautiful girl was taken aback and eyed her suspiciously. "How the fuck do you know my name?"

"I'm Gohan's doctor. He's told me about you."

Videl clenched her fists, her arms all but shaking as pure rage radiated off her body. "That fucking blabbermouth!" she growled. "What the fuck! Is he planning on telling everyone about us? What the fucking hell! Oh well, I guess I should just go ahead and scream on rooftops that I'm fucking the golden fighter!"

Which she kind of just did anyway. The cafeteria grew quiet as death; even flies wouldn't dare flap their wings. Videl turned to scowl at the bunch of them. "What! Got a problem with that?! I'm fucking the golden fucking fighter! Oh, and you know what else? He's fucking amazing in bed! Yeah, that's right! He's a fucking sex god! There! Happy now?!"

Jen quickly brought her hand to her mouth to stifle a laugh, but she was too late. Videl turned her dark glare at the young doctor, who was simply unable to stop her sudden fit of laughter. She laughed her heart out, bending over and holding her stomach.

"Oh man… You're hilarious! I can totally see why he's into you!" she blurted out between two laughs. "Guess I never stood a chance against you, hahaha!"

Videl's blood ran cold. "... _What?_ " she hissed breathlessly.

But the young doctor was too busy laughing uncontrollably to notice her blunder. Videl clenched her fists fiercely and suddenly stormed off. She came up to their table, but Gohan was gone.

"Where... is he?" she gritted out slowly, her chest heaving.

Meyers shrugged. Fye pointed the direction of the exit. "He went that way," the black-haired boy said.

Videl stormed off once more, somehow sensing that she would find him outside. And she was right. Gohan was finishing up his last plate when she spotted him sitting under a tree in the garden. She stomped towards him.

"What happened between you and that doctor?" she demanded.

Gohan slowly stood up to face her, frowning deeply, and crossed his arms. "She kissed me."

Videl's fists were clenched so tight, her nails pierced her skin and drew blood. She saw red. Her whole body was boiling with hot, raging jealousy.

The punch flew out without warning and landed square on his jaw, and it was so powerful and took Gohan so completely off guard, that the half-Saiyan was actually thrown backward and fell down on the grass.

"You… You IDIOT!" she screamed at the top of her lungs. "How could you let her take advantage of you like that! Fucking moron! I bet you didn't even realize she liked you! Dumbass! Naive piece of shit! Fucktard! Jackshit! I fucking hate you!"

"Ow…" Gohan winced, holding his sore cheek. She sure knew how to pack a punch. How the hell did Videl manage to get so strong on her own?

"I should've kicked you in the balls! You fucking dimwit!"

Slowly, Gohan got to his feet, still rubbing his jaw. "Yeah, no, I kinda need those to do it with you."

Videl pursed her lips, trying as hard as she could not to laugh. That fucking bastard. How dare he make her laugh when she was so livid?

Gohan's expression softened and he smiled. Videl scowled harder, but she just stood there when he wrapped his arms around her stiff shoulders, holding her close to his heart. She should push him back and beat the crap out of him. Damn it. Why was she letting him hold her? He didn't deserve a hug! That dumbass!

"I knew you wouldn't think I meant it to happen," he whispered in her ear. He grimaced when she pinched his side as hard as she could. "Ouch…"

"You're a fucking moron," she muttered against his chest, finally responding to his hug, wrapping her arms around his back.

"Yeah, I think you've made that quite clear," he replied, laughter in his voice.

"Well, you are." She buried her face into his shirt. "I hate that she kissed you."

"I love that you're jealous," he chuckled.

"I'm not jealous," she mumbled in bad faith.

"Sure you're not."

"Shut up."

"Make me," he grinned. She pinched him again and he winced. "That really hurts."

"I'm aware. Fucking idiot."

His heart felt so light as she said that. Gohan didn't get it, but every time Videl would call him names and tell him he's an idiot, he would just melt and beam at her. It was so weird. Why did he love it so much when she insulted his intelligence? It didn't make any sense.

"You know I'm only yours, right?" he whispered in her ear.

"Shut up. I don't want to hear that."

"Well, I am." He tightened his arms around her, breathing in her hair. "Just like you're mine, Videl, and only mine. No matter what you try to pretend – you know it's true."

"Yeah, well…" But Videl couldn't find anything witty to retort so she just huffed and buried her face deeper into his chest. "At least I'm not a moron who doesn't notice when a girl likes him."

Gohan threw his head back and laughed heartily. Oh, that girl… Seriously, _how_ could he not love her?

ooOoo

The sun was setting. He and Videl were still in the garden, lying on the grass together, his arms around her, her head leaning back on his broad chest, as they watched the sky slowly change colors. The darkening clouds were tinted with red and orange and a bit of yellow, as the blue of the sky was slowly turning a grayish purple. The half-moon was already visible, glowing faintly over the city. Gohan was smiling in content as he played with Videl's long locks, pondering whether she would mind if he unlocked her hair.

"I wish I could stop time," he murmured faintly, not wanting to break this perfect moment. "I want to stay like this, always."

She didn't say anything in response, but turned away from the sky to snuggled up to his chest. Gohan tightened his arms around her, resting his chin against the top of her head. Finally, he made up his mind and slid her hairbands along and off her long, raven tendrils, one by one. She let out a soft sigh.

"Gohan…" she murmured reluctantly. "You know this is just… You know we're not… I mean, once Trunks gets better, I won't…"

She was struggling to find the right words to say it, but from the way Gohan tensed and held her tighter, burying his nose in her hair, Videl knew that he understood what she meant. She closed her eyes, trying to ignore the arrows piercing her heart, again and again, one after the other – endlessly.

"Why…?" he whispered hoarsely. "You're enjoying this as much as I am, so why can't we just continue being like this? I need you so much, Videl… And not just because Trunks is in a critical condition. I always need you. I'm always a mess because I want you, all of you, all the time."

"If you kill the cyborgs…" she murmured. "I don't think you will, but… if you somehow manage to do it, then… probably…"

He suddenly pinned her down and looked straight at her with desperate, sorrowful eyes. "I don't want to wait. I want you, now. I can't take it anymore, Videl. I need you in my life. I need you so much…" He pressed his forehead to hers and let out a groan. "Ugh, I feel like a broken record. How many times have we had this same conversation already? When are you finally going to let us be together?"

She wrapped her arms around his neck. "Well, do you want to keep running around in circles, or are you going to kiss me instead?"

He didn't hesitate for even a second and devoured her mouth avidly, pressing his body down against hers. Her curves felt so delicious. He grabbed her hips and bucked his, rubbing his already budding erection between her thighs. She groaned into his mouth, wrapping her legs around his midsection.

Gohan started kissing her neck, and Videl untucked his top out of his pants and slid her hands along his sides and up his muscular back.

"We should…" She was cut off when Gohan found her most sensitive spot and forced a moan out of her. "We… We should find someplace more private…"

They were, after all, still in the garden, and while their spot was rather secluded and dark, there were still people walking back and forth every now and then. As much as she wanted Gohan right now, Videl didn't want to do it where anyone could catch them in the act. She may be kinky, but not _that_ kinky.

"Agreed," he breathed against her neck. He licked her skin, giving her shivers; his tongue lowered slowly along her throat before reaching her cleavage.

It was amazing how bold and reckless Gohan could become when he was aroused. Videl gritted her teeth as he ground his hard cock against her crotch. If only their pants weren't in the way. If only they were already in a private place where she could just let Gohan fuck her brains out. _Fuck_. She was so fucking _wet_.

"I should start wearing skirts," she mused breathlessly, rocking her pelvis to grind harder against his erection.

"Hm?" Gohan mumbled distractedly, cupping her breasts over her tank top as his mouth explored as much skin as he could reach of her luscious cleavage.

"That way," she explained, her voice a hoarse whisper. She grabbed his ass firmly and moaned as Gohan pinched her nipples. "You could just lift it up and fuck me."

His nose between her breasts, his hands pushing them together, Gohan suddenly flushed bright crimson. "W… Wha…?"

She moved her head to look down at him and smirked playfully. "It'd be so hot, too. What do you think? Should I start wearing skirts?"

Raising himself from her cleavage, Gohan towered over her, his face dead serious through his bright blush. "Yes. Definitely," he murmured breathlessly.

She smirked, her hand lowering to his groin. She grabbed him roughly, and Gohan closed his eyes, letting out a long moan. "Should we move to someplace else, or should we risk it and do it right here, where anyone could catch us?"

Gohan didn't respond, fisting the grass on each side of her head as Videl continued to pleasure him through his pants. She reached up to nibble his ear.

"Should we risk it?" she murmured sensually.

"I…" He swallowed, his face flushed, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. "Let's just go. Now."

She smirked, and then applied more pressure on his dick. Gohan collapsed on her, burying his nose in her hair. "Are you sure?"

"Videl…"

She chuckled in amusement and finally let go of him. Gohan slowly raised himself up on his elbows, staring into her eyes. He kissed her lips hungrily, his tongue tasting every inch inside her mouth, and Videl felt her knees tremble.

He pulled back, then planted a few short kisses on her incredible lips. Videl sighed in content. It felt so fucking good.

"Let's go," he murmured over her mouth, before finally getting to his feet. Videl smiled up at him and took the hand Gohan offered her, letting him hoist her up.

As they stood face to face, he cupped her face and bent over to kiss her again, his touch suddenly so gentle Videl felt herself melt completely. She sighed in content. Ahh… How was she ever going to live without this sensation if she let go of him? Damn it.

Gohan smiled down at her and she smiled back; Videl knew that right now, her eyes must be screaming at him that she was head over heels in love with him. His expression turned serious. Well, shit. He cupped her cheek, his intense gaze boring into her. Shit. _Shit_. He saw it. She knew he did. Shit. And his eyes were replying right back to her. He smiled – the softest, most gentle, loving smile.

She was pudding. It was official. She had turned into pudding and there was nothing she could do to revert back into herself.

Gohan suddenly picked her up and took off to the night sky, shooting her a playful grin. Videl felt her breath be knocked right out of her as he flew off. She quickly relaxed in his arms and beamed at the blurred scenery below them. The flight barely lasted a few minutes, however, and Videl wished it could have been longer – flying with Gohan felt just so amazing.

He landed some distance from the city, in a rural area, by a pond – and right in front of a wooden house. Videl raised her eyebrows.

"Is this your house?"

Gohan let her down and smiled at her. "Yeah. I built it."

Her lips parted. "Wow… You _built_ it? Are you serious?"

His eyes softened. And inevitably, Videl felt her heart melt in a puddle. Goodness, how she loved those beautiful eyes of his… He was killing her.

"Yeah," he confirmed, his voice soft. "Want a tour?"

She gave a bright smile and nodded her head vigorously. Gohan swooped down to take her hand into his and led her towards the front door. He opened it with his spare hand, and Videl frowned slightly, wondering why it wasn't locked. Well, she figured since his house was in a secluded place, only the people who knew about it would be able to find it. She nodded to herself. Yeah, that made sense.

The moment she stepped inside Gohan's warm wooden home, Videl instantly loved it. She took a few more steps into the main room as she looked around. Everything was made of wood: the walls, the furniture, the floor… even the frames of the numerous family photos hanging on the walls here and there. His home was so cozy and charming.

The kitchen was on the left, with a fridge and a stove and a working surface atop cupboards as well as a few cabinets hanging above the sink. The wood was so polished and shiny. A square table was pushed up against the wall below a wide window, with three chairs settled neatly against the edges.

On the right, a rugged plaid sofa and a couple of assorted armchairs were surrounding a coffee table. Two full bookcases stood against the wall on each side of the sofa.

Videl walked over to the living room and readily collapsed on the comfy couch, a wide grin spread across her face. "I _love_ it here."

Gohan laughed. "Glad to hear it."

She sat up and swept her gaze about the room once again. "Did you really build it all by yourself? It looks amazing!" she said in awe.

He walked over to her, sitting on the arm of the sofa. "It was tricky, yeah, and I had to study a lot to get the electricity and the water working properly. In theory it looked easy, but I still got zapped a few times, heh." He scratched his hair with a sheepish smile.

Videl moved over on the couch, looking up at him with admiration and mirth shining in her blue eyes. Gohan's features softened and he brushed her bangs away, tucking a few strands behind her ear.

"You made the furniture yourself too, right?" she asked eagerly.

"Yeah," Gohan smiled, moving his hand to cup her face. Gosh, she was so beautiful. He loved when she looked at him like this. "I got pretty good at it, too."

"You're amazing."

He bent over and kissed her lips, ever so softly, his touch barely a brush – like the wings of a butterfly. "Someday…" he whispered; Videl kept her eyes closed and sighed dreamily, still in the afterglow after his gentle kiss. "Someday, mark my word… You're going to live here with me… as my wife."

She snorted out a laugh and covered her mouth with her hand. "Your wife? You're not wasting time, are you?"

"Well," he murmured, stroking her cheek with his thumb. "I want to be with you. I want to spend my whole life making you happy."

She closed her eyes, a small, wistful smile curving her beautiful lips. "That's a nice dream."

"I'll make it come true, no matter what."

Videl chuckled. "Good luck with that."

Gohan moved to sit down beside her, having so little room he was like glued to Videl, and wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly as he nuzzled her hair. "Thanks. I'm gonna need it."

Videl leaned into him and let out a soft sigh. Even though she knew she was only nourishing false hopes, Videl truly hoped that, one day, Gohan would be able to make that dream come true…

To think, if he really did make it happen… she would become his bride.

She smiled to herself, the blurry image of her peaceful dream in the meadow coming back to her. If Gohan managed to save the world, then her dream could actually come true.

Videl found herself praying as hard as she could that it would become reality. If only she could just accept Gohan completely into her life… Nothing would've made her happier.

 _I love you so much, you lovable bastard._

ooOoo

Bulma had invited everyone to stay over at Capsule Corp. while they were in West City, assuring them that she had more than enough rooms for all of them and that they were welcome to stay for as long as they needed. Trunks would be so happy to see them all when he woke up, she'd added with a kind, dimmed smile.

They flew on Fye's aircraft towards Capsule Corporation. The twins were asleep again; Fred was piloting, Fye and Meyers were on the front seat while Delia and Shay were sitting behind the pilot, like earlier, and Bulma and Gordon were behind the girls, each holding a kid as they slept.

"So, your parents…" Bulma inquired in a soft tone, rocking the sleeping little girl absentmindedly. Gordon smiled sadly and shook his head. "I'm so sorry. How long has it been?"

"Four years. I've been staying with distant relatives ever since."

"So they were still just toddlers…" Bulma felt her chest twist painfully. "Gosh…"

"It hasn't been easy. But I'm grateful for my aunt and uncle's kindness, and my friends, and for those two. I consider myself lucky despite what happened."

Bulma liked how that kid expressed himself. It was obvious that he was smart, the smartest of the group for sure – and actually, she felt that he had some genius in him.

"Are you good in sciences?" she asked, changing the subject – hopefully to a lighter tone.

He raised an eyebrow, then a flash of understanding crossed his green eyes. "Yeah, I enjoy it," he muttered slowly.

Bulma smirked. "I could use an assistant, you know. Gohan's going to help, but he's busy training all the time. I wouldn't mind taking care of you and your siblings, either, and I'm sure Trunks would be delighted to have you around."

"I…" Gordon swallowed, averting his gaze to Jake, sleeping peacefully in his arms. "I need to think about it… I mean, I would love that, but they're used to Aunt Liz and Uncle Kent, and I would like them to have some kind of regularity…"

Bulma smiled warmly and nodded. "Of course. Take all the time you need, and talk about it to your aunt and uncle. You could always come by now and then. I just feel like you could do great things with me."

"I… I'm so flattered," Gordon whispered, blushing.

A frizzy blonde head popped up out of the back of the seat in front of them, a wide smile spreading on Delia's lips. "Wow, Gordon, can you believe you could be working with the one and only Bulma Briefs? I always knew you were a genius."

Shay joined Delia, grinning excitedly at them. "That'd be so awesome. And you'd be living with Trunks too!"

"Gordon still needs to talk it through with his relatives," Bulma reminded them with a kind, motherly smile. She looked at the curly-haired boy sideways. "But I'm hopeful."

"What are you working on now? That weapon again?" Shay asked eagerly.

"No," Bulma answered with a frown. "That thing was a bust. I'm going to work on my unfinished project now."

"And what's that?" Shay asked.

Bulma smirked, taking her time to respond, building up the tension. She could see that all the kids had their full attention on her – even Fye and Meyers up front were looking at her in curiosity.

"I'm building a time machine."

Jaws dropped, eyes widened, bodies stiffened. Bulma smirked, quite proud of the effect she had made.

"Well, I'm still working out the theory," she explained. "Gohan is going to help me, but another intelligent mind would be more than welcome." She smiled at Gordon pointedly as she said that.

"A… time machine…" Delia breathed in awe. "Wow. You're definitely the greatest mind of all times."

Bulma smirked smugly. "I'm well aware, but thanks."

"It would be so cool if Gordon could help you build it," Meyers said, joining in the conversation from the front seat.

"What would happen if it worked, though?" Delia asked thoughtfully. Bulma raised an eyebrow at the clever question. That blonde seemed pretty smart too.

"Traveling to the past would actually create another timeline. I would like to use that opportunity to study the cyborgs," Bulma explained. "I believe they possess an "off-switch" button. I just need to find out how, and they'll never be a problem again."

"Wow…" Shay breathed in amazement.

"Who would go to the past?" Gordon inquired, patting his brother's back distractedly.

Another clever question. Bulma's smile widened. She loved those kids already – no wonder Trunks got along so well with them. "I figure Gohan should go. I'm sure Trunks would love to go too, but his presence before he was born could prevent his existence."

"But that would only happen in that other timeline, right?" Delia assumed. "I mean, our Trunks wouldn't just fade out, like we see in some movies."

"No, you're right, he wouldn't. But I wouldn't want to create another timeline where I don't have Trunks as my son."

"That's fair," commented Fye. "But what if Trunks simply didn't say who he was? He could even help you and his father get together, like in that movie. What was it called again?"

"Trust me, Vegeta and I didn't need any help," Bulma smiled in melancholy, her eyes glazing over as she was reminded of those three years she lived with the prince. "But yeah, I suppose Trunks could just stand aside while Gohan did the talking. It'd be great if he could meet his father at least once, too."

"So Trunks' father died before he could meet him?" Meyers asked with a frown.

"Sadly, yes. He thought he could take on the cyborgs just because he was a Super Saiyan." Her eyes' light dimmed with sorrow. "But he just succeeded in getting himself killed."

"So Trunks is a half-Saiyan too, right? Like Gohan," Delia concluded.

"He is, yes."

It had been a surprise learning that Gohan had told those kids what made him and Trunks so much stronger, when they'd come to her and bombarded her with questions earlier.

The idea had been tickling at the back of her mind since she met her son's friends, and the more she spent time with them, the more the notion became appealing. Bulma figured it would make everyone's life much easier, too, and Capsule Corp. was more than big enough to host all of them, and their families as well. The only thing was, since West City had still not been attacked by the cyborgs yet, it was very much at risk.

She needed to build a bunker, the scientist decided. Actually, she needed something much bigger; she needed to build an underground city where everybody could hide whenever the cyborgs decided to attack them.

Bulma made a mental note to speak with the mayor about this as soon as possible. They could save so many lives if they got it done in time. But Bulma would need more workforce to make it possible.

"Say," she started, cutting off the ongoing conversation about time travel, some movie about it, and Trunks and Gohan when she spoke up. "How about you all come live with me and Trunks? Your families too, of course. We could sure use more life over there – Capsule Corp. is so huge and so empty."

"Are… Are you serious?" Fred whispered from the pilot seat, glancing at her in the rearview mirror. Bulma simply smiled and nodded.

"I'd love to have more people around. It's been kinda lonely, with Trunks training with Gohan all the time."

"I'm in!" Shay almost screamed.

"Shh!" Gordon shushed her, frowning as he motioned to his little brother and sister. Thankfully they only mumbled softly but didn't wake up.

"Sorry," Shay grinned sheepishly.

"I'm in too," Delia smiled. "Right, Fred? I want to stay with Shay."

The pilot shrugged. "Sure, why not."

"I'll ask my parents," Meyers said excitedly.

"I'll ask my dad too," Fye nodded. "But I'm sure he'd be cool with it," he smirked. "He really admires you, after all."

"I'm not surprised," Bulma chuckled, boasting proudly. Well, she was just that good – it was no wonder the whole world noticed.

"My parents too," Meyers grinned. "Man, it's gonna be so cool, living all together!"

"I know, right!" Shay chirped, bubbling in excitement. "Oh man, I can't wait!"

"You're all gonna stay with me now anyway, it's kinda the same," Bulma smiled in amusement. "Minus the parents."

"So that means… My aunt and uncle could come with us too, right?" Gordon asked quietly, looking very serious.

"Of course. The more the merrier."

"West City is still at high risk, though…" he observed with a frown.

"Already ahead of you, kiddo," Bulma grinned. "I'm going to build a kind of underground city, so that when the cyborgs do attack, the city could go hide underground and stay safe."

"You truly are a genius, huh?" Fred smiled kindly.

"The best there is," Bulma boasted.

She couldn't wait until Trunks woke up and found himself living with all his friends. He was going to be so happy! She really couldn't wait to see the look on his face.

He just needed to wake up already…

ooOoo

Videl had that dream again. The toddler was still a blur, but it was such a pleasant and beautiful dream. She woke up with a smile, in Gohan's arms, and snuggled up to him, nuzzling his chest.

They ended up spending the evening talking about this and that and just hanging out together. Gohan caught them a huge fish for dinner, which he'd cooked deliciously. They ate so well, and were so full – they apparently ended up falling asleep in each other's arms on the sofa.

It surprised her that they ended up not having sex. It was actually the first time since their relationship became purely physical that she and Gohan didn't do it when they saw each other. Videl wasn't quite sure how she felt about this.

She kept falling harder and harder for Gohan. The more they just spent time together and learned more about each other, and just hung out and had fun together, the more her love for him grew. Her eyes welled up, but she held it in and closed them tightly. What was she going to do? She had felt so terrible when Gohan had turned up that night, distraught and in tears, that she had decided to do whatever she could to make him feel better, even if it meant going against her resolves. But now she had tasted what it was like to actually be with Gohan and, God forbid, she was dying to just be like that with him, always.

 _Why not?_ she would be asking herself, but Videl would then push that little voice away, lock it in a heavy trunk and toss the key as far as she could.

Yet… it would always find a way to crack the lids open somehow and whisper to her to just go for it – that she wanted this as much as Gohan needed it. That they could be truly happy together, if she'd only let them. Even if it meant losing Gohan in the end – that annoying little voice kept trying to convince her that it would be worth it, that she would hurt so much more if she let that chance pass through.

 _What if Gohan really did stop trying to be with me?_ the voice kept whispering. _Then what? How am I ever going to live on without him?_

She heaved a deep sigh and slowly lifted herself up slightly, towering over Gohan. A fond smile curved her lips. How sweet. He looked so beautiful as he slept. So peaceful and cute. She cupped his cheek. _I love you so much._

He smiled in his sleep. Videl realized that he was, in fact, waking up. His eyes fluttered slightly and then he opened them lazily, his smile widening as he was met with her beautiful face first thing in the morning.

"Good morning," he mumbled, his voice hoarse from sleep. Videl felt a tingle in her belly – gosh, Gohan was so hot when he just woke up. "I slept like a baby…"

She cracked a smile. "You looked as cute as one, too."

"Yeah?" he grinned sloppily. His arms brought her close to him again and he breathed in her loose, beautiful hair. "That's probably 'cause I was dreaming about you. We were so happy…"

"I dreamed about you, too," she admitted quietly.

"Tell me about it," he said, smiling in bliss as he held the woman he loved in his arms.

"... We had a kid."

A wide grin spread out across his lips. "How nice. I would love that dream to come true."

"Well… who knows…" she whispered, wrapping her arms tighter around his neck.

"Yeah," he agreed. "Who knows…"

Gohan couldn't think of a more perfect moment. It was like, every time he was with Videl, it somehow managed to beat the previous moment, as amazing that one had been. He loved when Videl lowered her defenses and just allowed herself to give into him.

God, how he was dying to tell her how much he loved her…

ooOoo

Gohan smiled to himself as he picked up a few more flowers to add to his bouquet. He was certain Videl had no idea, but today was a very special day. He looked at his handiwork and wondered if he should add more flowers. The bouquet was already pretty big and was composed by all kinds of beautiful flowers. He made a point to have as many violets and periwinkles as he could in the center of the bouquet. They reminded him of Videl's gorgeous eyes.

"What are you doing? Don't tell me that's for me?"

Her voice was full of mirth, and even maybe a bit of mockery. But Gohan didn't care; he turned to her and offered her the colorful bouquet.

"It is for you," he said softly, his eyes looking at her with so much love, he was sure she could read his thoughts, screaming those three words to her. "Happy one year anniversary."

Videl's lips parted as she stared at him. "Wha…?"

Gohan stared at her with the most gentle smile. "Today's the twenty-eighth, so it's officially been a whole year since we met."

Slowly, Videl held out her hands and took the bouquet. "It's so beautiful…"

She closed her eyes and smiled, sniffing the flowers' sweet scent. Gohan watched her, his heart filling with warmth. He wondered if she would've accepted the gift if she hadn't decided to be there for him. Well, in any case, he was so glad things worked out for today. He'd been meaning to do something special to celebrate the most important meeting of his life.

"I was thinking we could have a picnic today," he offered, wrapping an arm around her waist to pull her to him, and kissed her temple. "I want to make it special."

Her eyes had a conflicted light shining in them, and Gohan felt a pang in his chest. He knew he wasn't making it easier for her – he was aware that she was in some way right to try and push him away, as it was very much possible that he wasn't going to make it, and she would only end up devastated if he died.

But sometimes, Gohan felt the need to be selfish. He wanted to be with Videl, and he didn't want to worry about the what-ifs. He wanted to make the most of whatever time left they had together. And most of all, he wanted to spend the rest of his life making her smile. And hopefully, even if he did end up failing and getting killed, the memories they would make together would bring her comfort, and not more suffering.

"Okay," Videl agreed softly.

Gohan smiled sadly. He kissed her cheek, his lips lingering for a long time. "Thank you, Videl. Thank you so much."

ooOoo

Videl closed her eyes and sighed in content, rubbing her stomach. Gohan was a really good cook. Anything he caught became a real feast after he was done working on it. They just had deer with roasted potatoes and even some vegetables, and now that they were done and satisfied, they were happy to lie down on the tablecloth that they'd lain on the grass.

He slipped his arms under her neck and brought her closer; Videl readily snuggled up to him, enjoying the feeling of being with the man she loved. The leaves above them rustled with the gentle breeze, little birds sang their most beautiful songs, and the river nearby offered its most peaceful music.

The setting reminded her of that dream again. Videl couldn't help wondering about the kid – their kid. She wondered if, somehow, it could still be possible for her and Gohan to start a family someday… She allowed those thoughts into her head and didn't shoo them away this time – because today was special.

She couldn't believe it had really been one year already. It'd flown right past her, that year, and yet it'd felt so agonizingly slow at the same time.

Videl found herself cherishing this memory – no, all of them. She loved being with Gohan, and today, she pretended that they were together, truly together.

She had been pondering on whether she should let him… But, no, that was still the limit. She couldn't give in now. If she let Gohan tell her those three words, she'd surely never be able to let go of him. And that… as much as it was killing her, that could never happen.

For the time being, though… Videl allowed herself to enjoy that one day with him. Their one year anniversary. It was so crazy. How could it have been a whole year already?

"What're you thinking about?" Gohan asked softly, kissing the top of her head, while his fingers ran through her long, raven locks distractedly. How he loved her hair.

"That I can't believe it's really been one year."

"Well… don't judge me," he muttered with a light blush; Videl looked up at him and quirked an eyebrow at him as he continued. "But I've been kinda… counting the days."

She smiled. "Why doesn't it surprise me?"

He stroked her cheek tenderly. "I've missed you so much…"

"Don't tell anyone," she said playfully, "but I've missed you too. More than you could imagine."

He felt his heart skip a beat – and the next moment he was kissing her desperately. He pinned her down and pressed his body down to hers, relishing in the way she felt against him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and responded eagerly to his kiss.

"Say it again," he breathed hoarsely against her lips.

"I missed you," she obliged, then let out a moan when he grabbed her breast.

"Again." He moved his lips to her neck, his right hand still fondling her plush mound. His left went up her bare legs – she was wearing a miniskirt today. It was going to be so much more convenient. His hand went under her panties and boldly slid inside of her. Videl cried out.

"I missed you so much, Gohan," she heaved breathlessly, her eyes tightly shut. "Oh God…"

He suddenly pulled back from her and got on his knees, towering over her. Videl looked up at him pleadingly, begging him for more with her magnificent eyes. Gohan hurried to take off his clothes. He then lifted her tank top over her breasts and dived in, wrapping his mouth around her hard nipple. He flicked and pinched the other. With his spare hand, he went under her skirt again and tore her panties without a second thought, before soaking his fingers inside her tight walls.

"G… Gohan…! Fuck!"

He felt her juice spill all over his hand and smirked against her nipple. He sucked harder and felt her fingers clutch his hair as she cried out again. Goodness, how he loved it when she screamed his name.

And then he suddenly took her, without warning, and reveled in the way Videl groaned and writhed beneath him.

He loved being on top, where he could watch how beautiful she was as she was overwhelmed with the most intense pleasure. Where he could be in control and render her helpless, completely to his mercy. He loved being on top as he drove her insane with ecstasy.

Gohan kissed her avidly as he sped up the pace, and Videl wrapped her legs tightly around his midsection, her pelvis rocking wildly back and forth to meet his thrusts. Gohan squeezed her breast with one hand and grabbed her ass roughly with the other, pounding her more and more feverishly.

Videl broke the kiss and gasped erratically. He pressed his forehead to hers and closed his eyes, feeling himself getting close. He sped up and pinched her nipple. His hands dug into the skin of her firm ass.

"More… More…" she moaned desperately. "Aaahhh… Oh God… Oh, Gohan… Oh my God…Nnnggghhh…"

She bit down on her lip. Gohan reveled in the sight, in the sweet music of her moans, in the unbelievable feeling of becoming one with the woman he loved.

"Fuck. Fuck. Shit! Gohan…! Gohan! OH YES!"

He smirked through the frenzy of his thrusts, priding himself in holding himself back as Videl climaxed. He buried his face in her neck, breathed in her hair, before attacking it with his mouth. He grabbed her hips with both his hands and thrust even harder and deeper, the luscious friction it was creating nearly driving him to the edge.

But not yet. He wanted to prolong this moment for as long as possible. He wanted to make it last, and he wanted to hear more of Videl's delicious cries of pleasure.

He loved it when she begged him for more.

"G… Gohan… I'm going… Again…"

He smirked and lifted his head to look down at her, savoring the sight of her as her inner walls tightened and quivered uncontrollably around his bursting cock, and Videl screamed his name.

It was the sweetest music.

Gohan still kept going, but he felt his knees weakening and trembling, and he knew he couldn't hold it back anymore. He buried his face in her hair and let out a long, guttural groan against her neck, his teeth grazing her skin.

He came so much inside of her, he was certain he would've gotten her pregnant if she hadn't been taking the pill.

And for the first time, Gohan wished she wasn't. He wished they weren't having safe sex. He wished he could have a baby with her.

He panted hard as he lay on top of her, his face nestled between her heaving breasts. Videl wrapped her arms around his head tightly, close to her erratic heart.

"Say it again," he murmured hoarsely, wrapping his arms around her.

"I missed you," she breathed in response. "I've been going mad from missing you."

He nuzzled her cleavage. "Same here. I've missed you so much this year. I think I did go mad."

She laughed, and Gohan smiled in delight as her chest rumbled against his cheek. _I_ _love_ _you_ _so_ _much._

Unknown to him, Videl was thinking the exact same thing.

ooOoo

Trunks' room was full of balloons, flowers and teddy bears of all sizes and colors. It was also usually filled with people, and because of who he was, the medical staff agreed to bend the rules slightly and let them all be in the room with Trunks and even stay after visiting hours.

But that morning, no one had arrived to visit the sleeping boy yet. And so, no one was there to notice his fingers moving ever so slightly.

No one was there to witness his eyes slowly open.

* * *

 _[So I'm actually on my phone right now since I'm at my mom's and I forgot my laptop's battery which died just when I was finishing up editing the chapter. Well, lucky for you I'm not one to give up easily, so here you go! :D_

 _I have some things to discuss with you guys, and I'll try to make it short since I don't like writing on my phone._

 _First of all, I seem to have acquired a hater. Oh well. Please ignore him. Dumbasses litter the world, there's nothing we can do about it, and I already let him get to me once. Meh. Would be great if new reviews could push down his idiocy on TSYA's review page, hint hint. ;)_

 _Secondly, to those who ask me questions in guest reviews, I cannot reply to you so please leave me a way to contact you in the review (like dear Celine who left me her Twitter :) )._

 _To the guest reviewer who has been suggesting ideas for TSYA, I must inform you that the whole plot is already planned out and has been so for years, and I do not intend to change it, so please, there is no need to write such long reviews about your ideas. May I suggest you offer your ideas to other authors? Maybe in forums? Someone might be interested. Anyways, thanks for your interest._

 _I think there was more but I can't remember lol. Anyway, thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed this chapter, and as always, don't be greedy with feedback! Love you guys! :D]_

* * *

 _September 10, 2016_


	14. Love Is a Promise

_Chapter Fourteen: Love Is a Promise_

* * *

The phone was ringing, but one look at Videl's eyes told Gohan this _really_ wasn't the time to answer the call.

She flipped them over and held his shoulders down. His eyes rolled back as Videl mounted him hard, mercilessly preventing him from doing anything other than groan in pleasure – and certainly not answer the phone.

Yet it kept ringing.

"Ugh… Don't you have… an answering machine?" she growled between heavy pants, increasing her heated pace with vengeance.

"I… Gahh…" he sighed in delectation, shutting his eyes tightly; his hands grasped her curvy hips, his fingers digging into her skin. He was so close. She was killing him. Every thrust of her pelvis was driving him completely mad. He was losing it. He could feel it. She was too much.

The phone, still shrilling in the background, was the only thing keeping him from losing it completely. He knew it had to be important – nobody except his family and Bulma and Trunks knew that number. Gohan was sure it had to be about Trunks.

He opened his eyes forcefully and gritted his teeth as another wave of intense pleasure washed over him; looking up at Videl pleadingly, Gohan tried to speak.

"Don't you dare," she hissed, her nails digging into the skin of his chest. "You're not answering that before we finish this." She tightened her inner walls around his bursting erection for emphasis. Gohan let out a shaky moan and his fingers dug deeper into her hips; this was going to leave a mark for sure.

"B… But…" he tried again, and then winced when Videl rolled her pelvis roughly. The things she was doing to him… "But it's… it's most likely… about…. about Trunks…"

Videl clicked her tongue, and still didn't let up. She closed her eyes and threw her head back, trying to ignore the motherfucking hindrance. "I'm so… close," she huffed out. "Just… a little more…"

Gohan watched her, his lips parted. Her hair was messy and wild, flowing in rhythm with her erratic movements. Her face was beautifully flushed, beads of sweats glistening down her forehead, her temple, down her long, graceful neck, between her plush, swinging breasts, along her flat stomach… only to be absorbed by the tangled sheet around her thighs.

He reached behind her neck, his fingers tangling in her long hair, and brought her to him, devouring her mouth avidly. The phone finally stopped ringing, and Videl mumbled, "About fucking time…" against his lips before wrapping her arms around his neck and deepening the kiss with enthusiasm, grinding her whole body against his. Without breaking the kiss, Gohan rolled her on her back and lifted one of her legs over his shoulder, pressing it between their bodies as he thrust even harder in and out of her. Videl's moans and cries of ecstasy were muffled by his lips. A low, animalistic growl rumbled from deep within his chest.

They broke the kiss to gasp and gulp deep breaths of air; Gohan leaned his forehead against hers, cupping her cheek, watching her through half-lidded eyes. She was so gorgeous and delicious. His eyelids slid shut as he felt his release getting closer and closer.

Videl suddenly wrapped her legs around him and buried her face in the crook of his neck, her arms holding him around his back tightly. She let out a long groan, and Gohan could feel her walls twitching and quivering and tightening delectably around him. His whole body shook and shivered; he gave one last thrust, burying his nose in Videl's lovely, long raven locks, and muffled his cry of ecstasy against her delicious skin.

This had to be heaven.

They didn't move, their bare, glistening, meshed bodies still twitching and shivering, their breathing still nowhere near calming down. Basking in the afterglow, Gohan nuzzled her neck and Videl sighed in bliss.

No, Gohan corrected himself, _this_ was heaven _._

And then the phone began ringing again. Videl cursed angrily and pushed Gohan roughly off her, then stomped out of his room, butt-naked, and tore the receiver aggressively off its hook hanging on the wall of the kitchen.

"WHAT!" she all but yelled. "Can't people fuck in peace anymore?!"

Awkward silence answered her, and Videl was very much tempted to just hang up the phone right then and there.

"Erm, hello to you too, Videl," Bulma's amused voice finally sounded from the other end of the line. "I see I'm calling at a bad time."

"No shit, Sherlock," Videl huffed impatiently. "What is it? It's about Trunks isn't it? Well, get on with it!"

Gohan came up to her, clad in his boxers, and looked at her with serious eyes as Bulma spoke to her over the phone. "What is it?" he asked. "How is Trunks?"

Videl raised her eyebrows and blinked. "Really?" she said to Bulma. There was a pause. "Oh. It only lasted for a minute?"

"Videl," Gohan called her softly, reminding her of his presence. She shot him a glance and signed him to wait a moment with her hand as she continued to listen. He frowned.

Finally, she said goodbye and hung up. Videl turned to him, and Gohan crossed his arms impatiently. She smiled.

"There's been some progress," she said. "Trunks woke up for a moment. He fell unconscious again soon after, but the doctors are optimistic. It's a good sign."

His coal eyes softened and a sigh of relief escaped his lips. Gohan ran his hand through his wild hair. "That's… that's great news. He should wake up soon then, right?"

Videl nodded, still smiling up at him. Gohan took a step forward and wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly.

"Finally…" he whispered against her hair. Videl closed her eyes and moved her arms around his waist, hugging him back just as tightly. Gohan sighed, hints of sadness mixing with relief and content. "What about us now, then?"

"Hush," Videl murmured, burying her face into his broad chest. "Not now."

He tightened his arms around her tiny, naked body, planting a soft kiss on her neck. "Okay."

ooOoo

"This is boring."

Delia rolled her eyes. "You're such a baby, Fye. Can't you sit still for longer than a minute?"

"It's been like a week since we've been in the city and all we ever see is this depressing hospital!" he pouted, standing up from his seat. He crossed his arms. "Let's do something fun for once. It's so boring here."

"Do what you want, but I don't want to miss it when Trunks wakes up again," Delia said decidedly, looking the other way. Fye rolled his eyes, then turned to the others.

"What about you, guys? How about we go somewhere fun for a bit?"

Shay glanced at Delia with hesitation, biting down on her lip. Meyers shrugged and got up as well.

"I'm in," he said. "I'm tired of this place too, and it's not like we would be able to all go see Trunks when he wakes up, his room would get too crowded."

"I'm staying," Gordon said. "I'm fine here."

"Your loss," Fye shrugged. "Shay?" he asked, looking at the torn girl. He smirked and rolled his eyes. "Just come with us if you want to, Shay, Delia's got Gordon to keep her company."

"Yeah, go on along, like I care," Delia muttered, still looking away from her friends. Gordon chuckled in amusement.

Shay frowned and got up. "Fine." Delia could be so annoying sometimes. She acted like they were abandoning her, when they were just going out for a bit! Geez, seriously. Who acted like a baby now?

"Bye then," the frizzy blonde said coldly. Shay rolled her eyes.

"See ya later," said Fye, lifting his hand in salute. Before he and the other two crossed a corner, however, he looked behind him at Gordon and Delia and grinned to himself. Maybe something was finally going to happen.

"So, where do we go?" Meyers asked.

"Anywhere," Fye shrugged, digging his hands into his pockets. "We're in an untouched city. There must be tons of stuff we could do."

"It's kinda weird that the cyborgs have been leaving West City alone," Shay commented. "It's kinda the home of their sworn enemies…"

"Who knows. Well, Gordon probably has an idea," Meyers mused.

"I can't believe he's going to work with _the_ Bulma Briefs," Shay blabbed excitedly, skipping slightly as she followed the boys.

"I can't believe we're all going to live together with Trunks," Meyers grinned. "My parents sounded really excited to come live here with Bulma."

"My dad too," Fye chuckled. "They should be joining us soon, too. They're packing everything and stuff now, right?" Meyers nodded.

"But…" Shay trailed off, frowning in thoughts. "What about the Devil, though? If I live here, will I still be able to go see her fights?"

ooOoo

Everything was blurry, but there was a lot of white. And then a lot of blue. Trunks blinked, trying to adjust his sight. The familiar face of his mother started to take shape and become clearer.

"Oh, Trunks! I'm so happy!"

She was holding his hands in both of hers, he noticed. The second thing he noticed was that he could barely move.

"No, don't get up," a smooth, soothing voice said, and Trunks turned his head to his other side, meeting the gentle smile of his best friend, who put his hand on Trunks' shoulder to push him back on the bed. "Stay down, Trunks. Save your strength."

A flash of memory came back to him. "Did… Did we get them?" Trunks asked anxiously, his voice so faint and hoarse he barely recognized it.

A sad smile answered him. "We'll get them next time," Gohan assured him.

"I'm working on a time machine," Bulma cut in; Trunks turned his head to look at her again, raising his eyebrows. She smiled and nodded her head. "I'll explain everything later. You need to rest, sweetie." She stroked his cheek tenderly. "I'm so happy to see your eyes again."

Trunks nodded his head and relaxed back on his bed. He wondered how long he'd been out. This was, for sure, the worst he'd ever ended up after a fight with the cyborgs. He couldn't understand how they had been able to survive the laser ray – it should have been more than powerful enough to seriously harm them. It didn't make sense. But Trunks knew better than to ask right now; they would only say, "Later, you need to rest." He was tempted to roll his eyes.

A soft, timid knock sounded, and then the door opened slowly, making a creaking sound. Trunks turned his head to look at his new visitor – his eyes lit up.

"Delia! Gordon!" He tried to straighten up, but Gohan's hand was still on his shoulder and he wouldn't let Trunks sit up. At the frown the boy gave him, Gohan chuckled and adjusted his bed to recline the mattress in a sitting position.

Ahh, much better.

"All your friends have been staying with me at Capsule Corp.," Bulma grinned at her son.

"And guess what," Delia grinned, walking over to the bed, Gordon behind her. "Your mom invited us to live with you guys! Isn't that great?"

It hurt to grin, but Trunks didn't care. This was the best news he'd ever heard. While he was never exactly lonely growing up, what with Gohan being like a big brother to him, he'd never had friends his own age to bond with. And while his friends were a few years older than him, they were nonetheless a lot closer to his own age than Gohan. It was going to be awesome living with them, all of them together. Trunks' eyes shone excitedly at the prospect.

Another knock at the door, and Trunks' eyes widened when he saw Videl walking in his hospital room. _Wow…_ He hadn't expected her to come visit him. He glanced at Gohan and shot him a grin. Did they finally make up then? He was so happy for Gohan – he'd been hurt too many times; he deserved to be with the girl he loved.

Gohan responded with a gentle smile, ruffling the boy's lilac hair. When Trunks turned back to Videl, he raised an eyebrow as he spotted a couple of curly-haired kids holding each of her hands.

Gohan left his side to walk over to Videl. Reaching her, he crouched down and patted both girl and boy on the head, and they giggled in glee.

"They're my twin siblings," Gordon explained, coming up to sit by Trunks' side, taking Gohan's spot. "I couldn't leave them for so long so I brought them along. They're also coming to live with us."

"I didn't even know you had siblings," Trunks smiled. "That must be nice."

"Most of the time, yeah," Gordon grinned.

"Gordon's guardians, Fye's dad, and Meyers' parents are also coming, obviously," Delia cut in, sitting down beside Gordon.

Trunks nodded absentmindedly, his eyes staying on Gohan and Videl, and the kids. The sight was both heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. The young half-Saiyan found himself hoping they had kids of their own, together. Wouldn't it be great if he got to be an uncle? Trunks was positive he would be the best uncle ever.

But… the boy had a feeling it wasn't going to happen. His eyes' light dimmed. Who would want to have kids in their crappy world? From what he knew of Videl, she definitely wouldn't want that. Gohan, on the other hand… Trunks winced internally. It prickled his heart to think that Gohan wouldn't get to be a dad. Gohan already _was_ a dad; he'd pretty much helped raise Trunks. He was a dad without children.

He wanted to see Gohan with kids of his own – tons of kids. Maybe, once they finally killed the cyborgs… Hopefully, his mom's next invention was going to work this time. A decade of helplessness and despair was just way too long. It had to stop already. They had suffered enough – the whole world had been through enough. It was about time they ended it.

 _I have to get stronger._

It was the one advantage of his current condition. Trunks could feel his power growing as he slowly healed. The power boost was incredible this time. Soon enough, the boy would be all recovered and ready to train again. He couldn't wait to test his improved strength.

He couldn't wait to get stronger. He was eager to get back to training with Gohan. And most of all, Trunks was dying to be the one to finish off the cyborgs. He enjoyed the thought of seeing the fear and despair in their cold eyes before he delivered the final blow. He couldn't wait to blast them to oblivion.

His eyes softened. Gohan picked up both little kids in each of his arms and they hugged him. Videl stifled her laugh into her hand.

Those two were so perfect for each other. Trunks hoped with all of his heart that this time, they would stay together forever. He watched his big brother gazing upon Videl, that special glint shining in his eyes – she was the only one capable of creating such a gentle and loving expression on Gohan. Trunks wanted this to last. He wanted Gohan to be this happy all the time.

The boy sent a prayer to any god who may be listening, selflessly asking for those two to be happy together.

ooOoo

Bulma had left Trunks' room to let him spend some time with all his friends. She understood that he couldn't be his usual self with his mother in the same room – she remembered what it was like to be an almost teenager, after all. It was that period where you get anxious to grow up and your parents become lame. She smirked to herself. Of course, with how awesome she was, the latter would never be real. Bulma snickered.

She hummed the warm, inviting scent of her coffee, holding the cartoon cup with both her hands. She heard some shuffling beside her, and smiled at Gohan as he sat down next to her, on one of the chairs along the hallway. He smiled back, a content expression on his face as he leaned his head back on the wall behind him. It warmed her heart to see him like this. She truly hoped he'd managed to change Videl's mind about their relationship in the past week.

"Things' been going well between you and Videl, huh?" she observed.

He hummed in response, nodding his head. "It's been amazing." He let out a dreamy smile, his eyes sliding shut. "I love her so much."

"She's still not letting you tell her though, right?"

His smile didn't waver. "Not yet. I'm sure she'll be ready to say it back soon enough."

A smirk slowly crept up to her lips at the memory of this morning's hilarious phone call. Videl had been crude and rude, but gosh, the way she answered the phone had been just so funny – it had taken all of her willpower not to burst out laughing into the receiver.

"Well, I'm glad things are going well." Her smirk grew. "I see you were having some morning fun too."

Gohan's eyes shot open and he sat upright, his face flushing bright crimson. He opened his mouth, but no sound was able to come out as he stared at Bulma in shock. His surrogate mother was unable to resist and she snorted out a laugh and tried to stifle her mirth into her hand.

He looked away in an attempt to hide his blush and ran a hand over his face. "What the hell, Bulma…"

But she was unable to respond, her whole body shaking with laughter. Gohan sighed and slumped his shoulders, slouching in his chair. What was it about him that made anyone and everyone enticed to tease him? Was he that much fun to fluster? Geez…

"Sorry, honey," Bulma grinned at him, managing to calm down somewhat. "It was just too tempting."

He heaved a sigh, looking down at his lap. "Yeah, I figured."

A hand clasped his shoulder, and Gohan looked up at Bulma's mirthful eyes. "But it's a good thing, you know. Having regular intercourse is very important in maintaining a healthy relationship. Why do you think it's called conjugal duties for married couples?"

His blush deepened, and he hid his face behind his large hand. Bulma giggled. Gohan looked just so cute when he was embarrassed.

"I do want to marry her someday," he muttered, still avoiding her gaze. "As soon as we get rid of the cyborgs, actually."

Her features softened. "That sounds great. I know you two would be really happy together."

"I want to start a family with her, too," he said, his voice hushed. He sighed, his shoulders slumping as he looked down. "I wish I didn't have to wait to have all of that. I'm just so happy when I'm with her."

"Yeah, it shows," Bulma smiled kindly. She sipped on her coffee slowly, watching her friend – her closest friend, if she was honest – thoughtfully. "What will happen between you two now?" she asked carefully.

"I don't know." His shoulders slumped even more. "I'm terrified, to be honest. She said we'll talk later."

"I'm hopeful, you know," Bulma offered. "I could see how much it was making her happy to be with you, too. I think this is it, Gohan. I truly believe she won't be rejecting you this time, not after everything that's happened."

He finally looked up at her, his expression hopeful. "You know, I think so too. Or maybe I just want it so much I'm delusional, heh." He ran his hand through his hair.

"Maybe it's a bit of both," Bulma smiled. Gohan responded with a mild smile of his own. "It's obvious she loves you – I saw it the first time I met her all those months ago, you know."

"It was last year," Gohan murmured, his eyes glazing over. "Almost exactly."

Bulma chuckled. "That's beside the point."

"I know she loves me." His coal eyes were serious, staring ahead aimlessly. "I see it every time she looks at me, every time she smiles at me, every tear she shed for me; I feel it every time we kiss. I've always known; I never had a doubt."

"Then again, it's so fucking obvious."

Gohan snorted in laughter. "Yeah. As much as it's obvious how much I love her, I bet."

Bulma caught a glimpse of the young woman in question behind Gohan. She smiled and motioned to Videl with her head. "Speaking of the devil."

Gohan followed her gaze and grinned. "You have _no_ idea."

He got up and walked over to Videl. Bulma observed with interest as Videl's eyes softened and she reached up to kiss Gohan lightly on the lips. He smiled nervously and scratched his hair, and Bulma chuckled in amusement. They were just so cute together.

She hoped Videl had changed her mind by now. She had to, right? How could she ever push Gohan away and go back to using him after everything that they went through together?

Bulma watched as Videl took Gohan's hand and led him away. Were they going to talk now? Unable to resist her curiosity, Bulma finished up her coffee and got up, throwing her cup in the trash can on her way as she discreetly followed them, keeping a safe distance so as not to be noticed.

ooOoo

Gohan loved holding hands with Videl. There was just something so intimate and warm about holding the hand of the woman he loved. The young man tried to focus on that feeling, hoping to push down the dread that threatened to burst out.

This was it: the moment of truth. They were going to have the talk. Now, he would know whether he had a future with Videl – or none at all.

She brought him to the staircase, under the steps. She leaned back against the wall, her hands clasped behind her. Gohan felt his heart clench as she looked up at him with a dimmed smile.

He suddenly cupped her face and kissed her tenderly, feeling her love wash over him as she responded to his kiss, her arms moving around him. Whether this was the end or not, he needed to feel her love just one more time. He deepened the kiss, groaning into her mouth, pushing her further against the wall. Shit, this felt way too good.

 _Shit, he didn't want this to end._

He pulled back slightly to look at her, letting his eyes tell her just how much he loved her. Videl smiled, stroking his cheek.

"I really screwed up," she murmured, looking at him with such tenderness and love, Gohan felt his heart ready to explode. "I knew it was a mistake, but I just couldn't reject you when you were hurting so much. And now it's too late."

He frowned in thoughts, watching her carefully. He barely dared to hope. Was she saying what he thought she was saying…?

"It's too late?" he repeated, his voice a hoarse whisper of hope. Her eyes softened in such a way that it made his whole being melt completely and his heart ache. He leaned his forehead against hers, closing his eyes tightly. "Please tell me you mean what I think you mean…"

"I… I'm willing to give this a try," she murmured. "But…" She swallowed and held his face between her palms, her magnificent blue eyes shining with uncertainty.

He kissed her before she could continue. Gohan hated that word. He didn't have the slightest desire to hear the rest of that sentence. Anything following that kind of "but" could never end well.

Instead, the lovesick young man lost himself completely into the kiss, letting the incredible sensations take over his being in that peculiar way he loved so much.

"Can I say it then?" he whispered breathlessly, his lips barely millimeters from hers. "Please."

Videl wrapped her arms around his neck and hid her face in the crook of his neck. "... Not yet. I'm not ready."

"Yet?" he cracked a smile. "Soon, then?"

"Maybe…"

He held onto her tightly, breathing in her addictive scent. "You know what I want to say, anyway."

"Shut up, you cheater," she mumbled into his neck. He laughed.

His heart felt light as a feather, floating on a cloud of bliss to the gentle wind. Gohan held onto her tighter, basking in the happiness growing in his chest and enveloping his whole being in warmth.

This was it. Bulma had been right. Too much had happened, and even Videl just couldn't go back to her cruel ways after everything. "I'm so happy…" he murmured into her hair.

He could feel her trembling slightly against him. Gohan pulled back slightly to look down at her, cupping her cheek as he offered her his most loving smile. She smiled back, but he could still see the uncertainty and worry in her beautiful eyes.

"It's going to be okay," he said softly, reading her thoughts. "I promise, Videl."

"Would you…" She looked away and bit down on her lip. "Would you promise me to fight them less from now on?"

His throat tightened. He knew he should promise her anything she wanted, and she had every right to ask this of him given how much she was risking to be with him. But…

God, how he hated that word.

"I…" His voice was caught in his throat.

She smiled bitterly. "How selfish of me, huh? I know asking you this means the death of countless lives. And yet, here I am." She looked down, her voice lowering to a sorrowful whisper. "Are you sure you want to be with someone as despicable as me?"

He cupped her face to make her look at him again and watched her intently. "You're the only one for me."

"But you can't promise me that, can you?" she smiled sadly.

Gohan felt his throat tighten. He swallowed. "I… I promise I'll try. At least, I can always run away once the survivors manage to get to safety."

"That's something, I guess," she breathed in resignation.

"I promise I'll do everything in my power to stay alive. I can promise you this, Videl."

His intense gaze was melting her heart. Videl nodded her head, then leaned in against his chest, letting out a soft sigh.

She never stood a chance, did she? Being with Gohan this past week… She had never been so happy in her life. How could she reject this feeling when his eyes were desperately screaming at her how much he loved her?

Gohan wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly against him. "I promise you, Videl," he murmured breathlessly. "You're not getting rid of me this time."

He started kissing her neck, and Videl felt her stomach tingle and flutter. She was so glad she was wearing a skirt today.

He pushed her further against the wall, visibly thinking the same thing as his hands started going up her bare thighs, slipping under her denim skirt. He grabbed her ass and bucked his hips. Her breath hitched. She could feel his growing erection pressing up against her wet panties. Her chest heaved deeply.

She loved and hated how much she needed him.

"Kiss me," she breathed hoarsely.

Gohan readily obliged, moving his head to capture her lips in an urgent kiss. He lifted her up easily and she wrapped her legs around his midsection, rubbing herself all against him. He muffled her moan when his left hand slipped under her shirt, under her bra, cupping her breast roughly.

He knew how to touch her just the way she liked it. That beautiful bastard.

They broke the kiss to catch their breath, staring into each other eyes. God, she needed him so much right now. Videl couldn't wait any longer.

"I want you inside of me. Right now."

A low chuckle rumbled in his chest. "You're always so impatient."

He pinched her nipple, and Videl's gasped a hoarse breath. "It's… your fault," she panted lustfully. "You're so fucking hot."

He licked her neck, grazing his teeth on her skin. Videl shuddered. "Yeah?"

"Fuck me, Gohan." She reached blindly for his crotch and unclasped the button of his pants. Her hand slipped inside and grabbed him urgently. Gohan's knees buckled. His raspy breaths brushed against her skin. "I need you so much. Fuck me. Now."

She started leading him between her thighs, and Gohan readily thrust his hips forward, going past her panties and all the way inside of her. Videl gritted her teeth. " _Shit_."

He started slow and deep. Videl untucked his shirts and slipped her hands under them, digging her fingers into his broad back. God, she could never get enough of this. She could never get enough of him.

Damn that Gohan. How dared he make her fall so hard for him? That little shit.

"Hah… Hah… Oh, Videl…" he groaned against her neck, thrusting harder and harder. The blissful friction his thrusts created was driving her insane with pleasure. Videl bit down on her lip, knowing that she was going to scream in delectation if she didn't control herself. And they were kinda in a public place; she wouldn't want passersby to hear them going at it like rabbits.

She kissed him to stifle her cries of pleasure, holding him tightly around his back. His fingers dug into her ass under her skirt, while his left hand was still on her breast, fondling her mercilessly. She was definitely going insane.

"More," she breathed against his lips, her voice weak and charged with lust. "More... Fuck me more."

He kissed her again, his tongue doing wonderful things in her mouth. He grabbed her ass firmly with both of his hands and pushed himself faster and harder inside of her, pounding her against the wall. Good thing he was kissing her, because Videl all but screamed against his lips. Each of his thrusts was accompanied with muffled moans and groans of delight. Videl could barely take it anymore.

"I… I'm going to…" she panted against his delicious mouth. She could feel him smirk, and as he pulled his head back slightly to look at her, Videl pretty much lost it when he looked at her with that sexy smirk of his. She slammed her hand against her mouth and stifled her long scream of ecstasy as he made her float on cloud nine.

He was still pounding her relentlessly as she came, and her eyes rolled into the back of her head as the pleasure became too much. Gohan always lasted so long when he fucked her. She loved it.

"You're mine…" he panted heavily, pressing his forehead against hers as his pace only became wilder and more erratic. The pleasure was so intense, Videl's mind was completely blank. She was going positively insane. "Say that you're mine, Videl…"

"I'm yours," she obliged, unable to refuse him anything when he was making her feel so fucking _good_. "I'm yours, Gohan. I'm all yours. Always."

His body suddenly shook and Videl felt his seed shoot inside of her deliciously. She kissed him and clenched his dick tightly inside of her. He kept pushing himself into her as he came, his last thrusts slow and shaky. Videl tightened her legs around him and felt herself climax a second time. Gohan was still cumming inside her.

"Say it again," he murmured breathlessly, pressing his forehead against hers. It was the closest thing to "I love you." He needed to hear her say it.

"I'm yours," she whispered. "And you're mine, Gohan. All mine."

He smiled, cupping her cheek. "Yeah. I'm all yours. Only yours. Always."

Her eyes dimmed. "I hope so."

He kissed her lips gently. "I promised you, didn't I?"

"You also promised you'd stay away. Look where _that_ got us," she chuckled, rolling her pelvis for emphasis – he was still inside of her. Gohan groaned at the feeling.

"Yeah, well," he whispered weakly. "That one promise was doomed from the start. I need you too much to stay away."

She leaned her head on his shoulder and let out a soft sigh. "And I need you too much to push you away any more."

He nuzzled her hair. God, how he loved her beautiful hair. "Good. Never leave my side again. Promise?"

She cracked a smile, holding him tighter around his back. "I'll try."

He chuckled. "That's something, I guess."

ooOoo

Trunks smiled at his mother as she walked in his hospital room, then tilted his head to the side at the vacant look in her eyes.

"Everything okay, Mom?"

She looked up and blinked, then smiled awkwardly. "I'm just a bit traumatized, but I'll be fine. I think."

"What happened?" asked Shay, on Trunks' right.

Bulma gave a nervous laugh. "Oh, nothing. I guess I took too long to realize what was happening… heh. Never mind me," she waved it off. "What's up, kids?"

"Trunks was telling us about the weapon," Fye grinned. "Man, it sounds so cool. I wish I could've seen it in action."

"It really was super cool," Trunks acquiesced. "I still don't get how they managed to come out of it unscratched," he added, looking pointedly at his mother for answers. He had waited long enough before he got to ask what happened.

"Gohan said 17 used a shield at the last moment," Bulma explained, leaning her shoulder against the wall, her arms crossed. "He also said he's sure it would've worked otherwise, but I don't want to waste my time building another one when they can use shields. The time machine should do the work when I build it."

"And Gordon is going to help Bulma, too!" Delia chirped excitedly, sitting by Trunks' side next to Shay. The brown-haired boy in question, sitting in the armchair by Trunks' bed on his left, blushed slightly and looked down, scratching the inside of his wrist. Trunks had noticed that this was a nervous habit of his.

"Wow, really?" Trunks' eyes lit up as he looked at Gordon, a grin slowly forming on his lips. "That's amazing, Gordon. I always knew you were super smart. No wonder Mom noticed too."

"Geez, guys, I won't ever be able to wear a hat if you keep making my head bigger," Gordon muttered, his face growing increasingly redder.

"Why would you wear a hat?" Delia giggled. "You have such beautiful hair!"

His blush worsened at that. Fye and Meyers snickered between themselves, standing by the wide window behind the girls. Bulma smiled at the scene, noticing that same thing once again. She was glad she would be there to watch how things were going to progress from there.

"By the way," Bulma said, moving to the bed to sit on Trunks' left. "I have great news. Gohan and Videl are finally, officially together."

"YES!" Delia squealed, jumping from Trunks' side to throw her fist into the air. "FINALLY!"

"Wait, they weren't together already?" Meyers asked in confusion. "They sure looked it."

Bulma smiled at the boy. "Not exactly. Videl was only there for Gohan because of what happened and how much he was hurting. But it wasn't meant to last."

"Hey, so it's kinda thanks to me then, right?" Trunks grinned awkwardly, scratching his hair with his only limb not in a cast, also known as his right hand.

Bulma frowned. She didn't like that Trunks had to brush so close with death in order for Videl to finally stop being stupid and accept Gohan's feelings. But, she supposed that at least one good thing came out of this horrible mess.

Actually, two good things, Bulma corrected herself, watching the kids around Trunks with a kind smile. She was so happy to see her sweet boy just being a boy his age, hanging out with normal kids, laughing with his friends. Inviting them to live with them was one of the best ideas she'd ever had – and considering she was a genius, that statement wasn't to be taken lightly.

"It sure did," she chuckled. "Doesn't mean you can let that happen again, kiddo, all right?"

Trunks laughed – then coughed slightly, wincing. Bulma rubbed his back soothingly.

"I'm too funny for my own good," she smiled nervously, and Trunks started laughing and coughing again.

"Mom, please…" the wounded boy begged hoarsely.

The teens around them laughed, and Bulma cracked an apologetic smile. She kissed her boy on the forehead before getting up. "I better get going before I make you choke to death."

Trunks winced again. "Mom!"

"All right, all right! I'm gone!"

She laughed on her way out. Oh, how she loved that boy. What would she have become if she hadn't had him? Bulma didn't want to even think of the possibility.

Which was why, once Gohan and possibly Trunks traveled to the past, they _had_ to be extra careful and make sure to keep Trunks' identity a secret. Even if it wouldn't affect her life directly, Bulma refused to create a timeline where she didn't have her beautiful Trunks.

And now that her son was finally awake and healing fast, she could focus on building the time machine. It was the biggest, most difficult project she had ever worked on. She had a vague memory of an old man, a weird, kind of flashy alien, and her sister; the old man used to work with his team of scientists on building a time machine. They had failed and it had resulted in the death of the scientist's wife and many others. Despite that, Bulma believed she could do what they couldn't achieve. She was Bulma Briefs, the daughter of the man who invented _hoi poi_ capsules, and she remembered clearly how she fixed that alien's spaceship when she was like, five or six years old – succeeding where the elderly widow had failed. She was most likely one of the most brilliant minds of all times – and she wasn't even exaggerating when she said that. She would figure this out too and build this damned time machine – even if it was the last thing she did!

ooOoo

"I heard about you and Videl," Trunks grinned at his big brother. "Congrats, Gohan."

"Thanks, kiddo," Gohan grinned back, ruffling Trunks' hair playfully.

It was just the two of them in the hospital room. Bulma had left with her new surrogate children, while Videl waited for Gohan in the cafeteria while he and Trunks had some bonding time.

"You _should_ be thanking me," the boy grinned wider, looking at his best friend smugly. "It came to my understanding that it happened thanks to me."

Gohan chuckled. "That's true. Don't go and get yourself in such a bad condition again though, all right?" His face turned serious. "Nothing is worth seeing you like this. Not even Videl."

Trunks blinked. "Wow, Gohan… Not even Videl?"

"Nothing," Gohan said again, his tone solemn. "Your life is the most precious thing to me – well, yours and hers, if I'm honest," he added, cracking a small smile.

"So is yours to me," Trunks smiled, his eyes shining with happiness. "So you better make sure you stay alive, got it? At all costs."

Gohan grinned. "Already promised her that. Don't worry, I promise to be extra careful from today on."

Trunks mock-glared at him. "You'd better."

Gohan laughed and ruffled the boy's lilac hair again. "You're so cute, Trunksies. You know that?"

"I'm aware, thanks," he chuckled, arranging his fine locks around his bandage.

He looked down at his hands and his voice lowered, speaking in a hushed breath. "Mom once told me I look just like him. My father. Minus the hair."

"Oh, yes," Gohan laughed. "You definitely have his face. It's kinda weird seeing you grin sometimes, because I think I've only ever seen him scowl. Or smirk. Or laugh evilly."

"He was a bad guy, right?" Trunks inquired, even though he knew the answer.

"In a way," Gohan answered nonetheless, smiling gently at his young friend. "But that's just how Saiyans were raised to become – or rather, the soldiers of Freeza's army. In those three years he lived with your mom…" Gohan chuckled slightly. "I visited a lot, you know. I've always loved watching Bulma work, and Mom was always thrilled when I went to see her in her lab. It was weird. One day I crossed his path, and he looked… different. More relaxed. He was just chilling and having a soda, I think. It was so… _alien_ , which is ironic considering," he added with a grin. Trunks was drinking his words avidly. The boy always loved when he was told about his father.

"I think deep down," Gohan continued. "Vegeta wasn't a bad guy. Killing was just the only thing he was taught, you know? And once he settled on Earth, he was able to finally relax. I like to think your mom helped him a lot to make peace with his demons. I really hope he was able to make peace with himself before he died."

Trunks nodded solemnly, his eyes welling up with emotions. Gohan patted his head with affection. "If we actually do get to go to the past, you'll be able to meet him," he said.

"I know," Trunks breathed with impatience. "I've been thinking about it ever since Mom said we would go to the past together."

Gohan smiled. "He wasn't much at the time, and you might be disappointed by what you see, but remember that it was only the beginning of his change. I do believe it's important that you meet him."

Trunks leaned back on his pillow and closed his eyes, a smile forming on his lips as he pictured the image of his father in his head. Only one photo of the man existed, and his mother had given it to him from the moment that he was old enough to understand what it meant. Trunks had treasured it ever since, and he knew each and every little feature of his father by heart from staring at the shot so much.

Speaking of photos…

"Don't tell Videl you got this from me," Trunks started, smirking at his friend. "But Shay told me that Videl's got a picture of you and her from the night you first met."

Gohan's mouth slacked, and his eyes widened. "Wha… _Are you serious_?"

"Positive. Shay and the others have been taking photos of her at the street fights and she even signed them autographs." The thought was hilarious to the boy. He could just picture his friends gathering around Videl and eagerly asking her to sign their photos. "And Shay has been following Videl for so long, she was actually there when you two met."

Gohan tilted his head and looked to the side in thoughts. "I remember her mentioning that, yeah."

"You should ask Shay for a copy of it," Trunks added. "And whatever you say to Videl – or decide not to say – is up to you. I've done my part." He leaned back more comfortably, bringing his valid arm under his head, a smug look taking over his young features.

"Thanks, lil' bro," Gohan grinned, ruffling the boy's hair again. Trunks rolled his eyes, but really he loved when Gohan did that.

It occurred to Gohan that he needed to get himself a camera. He wanted photos of Videl, and photos of them together. The thought made his stomach flutter. Finally, they were actually together. No more games, no more physical crap. Just him and her, together. Happy.

Oh, how she made him happy.

Gohan suddenly got up and smiled at his adorable friend. "I better get going. It's way past visiting hours, and you need to rest."

Trunks rolled his eyes through his grin. "Don't pretend. I know you miss her already."

Gohan laughed. "Nothing gets past you, huh?"

"Well, I _am_ my mother's son."

The gentle young man ruffled the boy's hair once more. Trunks' grin widened. "You sure are," Gohan said.

Trunks' expression softened. "I know you two are going to be really happy together."

His friend nodded, sighing in content. "Yeah. I'm already over the moon. Can't believe it's finally happening."

Trunks grinned. "You're welcome, big bro."

Gohan laughed. Shaking his head, he made his way to the door. "Good night, lil' bro. Thanks for everything."

Trunks grinned even wider and raised his valid hand in salute. "Anytime, big bro."

As Gohan closed the door behind him, a rush of affection washed over him. Gosh, he loved that kid. He was so glad Trunks was in his life. Deep in his heart, Gohan knew that Vegeta wouldn't have been a bad guy had his life gone a different path. Someone purely evil could have never produced such a beautiful child.

Vegeta had good in him. It had simply taken a woman as stubborn as Bulma to bring it out, Gohan reflected. Love was such a strange little thing.

His heart filled with warmth as his thoughts turned to the love of his life. Love was a strange thing, indeed. And he couldn't wait to dive into it blindfolded. It was going to be amazing, he just knew it.

How he wished he could tell Videl he loved her already. But Gohan was confident things were going in the right direction this time. Everything would happen in due time.

He could barely wait to hear those three sweet words coming out of her delicious lips.

How could it be even _possible_ to love someone _so freaking much_?

ooOoo

He couldn't stop staring at the picture.

He'd gone to Capsule Corp. and asked Shay for the photo Trunks had told him about, since it wasn't too late yet. When she showed him, his heart had skipped a beat.

How that girl had managed to capture the very first time his and Videl's eyes had met, Gohan would never know, but at that moment he'd felt a rush of affection for the lively pink-haired girl. His throat tight and dry, he had thanked her in a breathless whisper.

"You know, this was the first time our eyes met," he explained fondly. Shay gwaked at him.

"Wow, seriously?" she mumbled. "I had no idea… I understand her reaction better now. I'm so happy I managed to memorize that moment," she grinned.

"Her reaction?" he inquired, raising a curious eyebrow.

"She had that soft look on her face and held the photo close to her heart."

Gohan had felt like his fragile little heart was about to burst out of his chest, then. He had swallowed and tried to compose himself. "She's such a big softie, in truth."

"Heh heh, I know, right?" Shay giggled. "You have _no_ idea how happy I am that you guys are finally together – how delighted _everyone_ is, actually. We were always rooting for you."

"Thanks," Gohan grinned in bliss. "I still can't believe it myself."

"Bulma looked a bit shaken for some reason when she got back in Trunks' room," Shay reflected. "I wonder why."

He raised his eyebrows in confusion. What could have possibly gotten Bulma like that? Weird. Now that he thought about it, he hadn't seen Bulma since he and Videl became official. Well, there was probably nothing of it; Gohan had ended up shrugging his shoulders. He had said goodnight to the adorable girl and departed, eager to join Videl at his house.

Hopefully, soon enough, he would be able to call it _their_ house.

She was sleeping beside him now, hugging one of his pillows, the blanket having slipped off her bare back. Gohan looked at her and a soft, gentle smile curved his lips. Giving the precious photo one last look, he put it in the drawer of his night table, before lying down behind Videl and wrapping his arms around her, pulling her soft, naked body all against his. He sighed in content as he nuzzled her neck. Her scent was so addictive. He was just so happy right now. Finally, _finally_ , Videl was his. His patience had finally been rewarded, and he could, at long last, be with the love of his life.

And he had every intention to hold onto her like a hungry lion over his meal. She was his, and only his, and nothing would ever get in their way – Gohan swore that to himself. He would never let anything bring them apart again. No matter how long they had left together, Gohan was determined to stay with Videl until the very end.

Hopefully, that would only happen in decades and decades, when they were both all gray and wrinkly and frail. He smiled in bliss. Nothing would make him happier. Growing old with Videl… Now, that was the dream.

ooOoo

Gohan wondered if this could be considered their first official date, or if it was actually their third one – counting the two times they'd had a picnic together.

This time was different, however. This time, their relationship status was clear and unmistakable: Videl was, at long last, his girlfriend. So this could be considered their first real date as a couple.

Gohan grinned stupidly, swinging their joined hands back and forth as they walked together in the streets of the bustling city. Videl was his girlfriend. She was really, truly, officially his. Well, if he was being honest it would have been even better if he could call her his wife, but hey, everything in due time right? The important thing was that Videl was finally his, all his, and he'd be damned if he was ever going to let her slip through his fingers again.

"Hey, look, it's the theaters," Videl grinned at him, pointing at the film posters above the entrance. "Let's see what they're showing."

"Sure. Anything you want," Gohan grinned back, letting her lead the way. She rolled her eyes playfully as she tugged at his hand.

It crossed his mind that the times they'd watched the _Back to the Future_ movies together could also be considered like dates. He tightened his hold of her hand. Bah, those were just details. Gohan just loved that he was Videl's boyfriend.

In the end, he barely got to see the movie at all. Videl had dragged him at the very back corner of the dark room, and then when the lights went out, just as the commercials ended and the movie started, Videl had grabbed his face and kissed him.

They had been making out during the complete duration of the film. It had been extremely difficult to control himself and not just _take her_ in the movie theater, despite how wild and crazy his lust for her was getting. It was exciting and delectable, to do that kind of thing in a dark room full of other people, weirdly enough. It was a little disturbing, in fact, how aroused the idea of getting caught was making him feel.

Videl had ended up on his lap, straddling him, and their lips only ever broke apart for a few short moments so that they could gulp some much-needed air, before devouring each other's mouths once more.

He wondered if anyone had noticed them. Gohan found himself, surprisingly, unable to care even a little bit. It felt just so damn good – and the feeling had become ten times better now that Videl was actually his girlfriend.

He loved that word. Girlfriend. Although, Gohan was hoping to change it to _wife_ sometime soon.

If it were up to him, the lovesick young man would be proposing to Videl right now, right here. It didn't matter where, or when, or how. He just wanted Videl to become his bride.

She was his family. His future. His life. Forever. Even beyond death.

"You're so hot," she whispered breathlessly between two kisses, her voice barely audible. Gohan couldn't help smirking. He loved when she said that. It always made him feel like she was stealing his line. _She_ was the hot one, _obviously_.

"You're gorgeous," he murmured, stroking her cheek, his fingers tangling in her long raven locks. "So fucking gorgeous…"

She suddenly crashed her mouth onto his and kissed him more avidly than ever, grinding hard against his erection. Distractedly, Gohan wondered if it turned her on when he cussed, and made a mental note to try that more often.

It was a shame that she wasn't wearing a skirt today. However, with the beginning of October, the weather was growing increasingly chilly every day, so it only made sense that Videl wouldn't want to walk around bare-legged.

He couldn't wait for spring and summer to come back. He loved it when Videl wore skirts. He'd been loving just lifting it up and taking her – she had been right, doing it like that was super hot.

She was wearing tight jeans and her knee-length boots, as well as one of his sweaters, way too big for her and sliding off her left shoulder, over her usual tank top. Gohan, for once, had decided to wear something other than his famous orange and blue training gear; this was a special occasion after all. He had chosen khakis and dress shoes, and had tucked in his grey sweater and the white collar shirt he wore under it. Videl had nodded in approval at his outfit, commenting with a smirk that he cleaned up nicely. She had added that she couldn't wait to take it all off, once again stealing his line before he could utter it first. Then again, he wasn't as bold as her. Usually. Videl could strangely make him do crazy things. Especially when she turned him on.

Like right now, almost doing it in a room full of people. God, he wanted her so bad. If only she was wearing a skirt, maybe they could have risked it… He really couldn't care less at the moment. Getting caught was the last thing on his mind – he just wanted her _so fucking much_.

 _Right_. _Now_.

The light suddenly went back on. Videl pulled back from his lips slightly, smirking at him through her heaving breath. Now anyone looking their way could see what they'd been up to instead of watching the movie – that is, if they hadn't guessed already from the noises they must have made. Gohan flushed despite himself. He felt like a lustful schoolboy unable to control his raging hormones.

Yet, he just couldn't let go of Videl. The fact that their position was hiding his bursting erection was only a tiny part of the reason.

"This was the best movie ever," Videl told him later, shooting him a devious grin as their joined hands swung back and forth. Gohan couldn't stop the deep blush rushing to his face.

"I thought the best movie ever was _Back to the Future_?" he cracked an awkward smile, rubbing the back of his neck with his spare hand.

"Didn't you have more fun at the theater just now?" she smirked. His blush deepened.

He loved it when she teased him, to tell the truth. Because this was playful banter – this was couples' stuff.

They were a couple now. A real, legitimate couple. That was a lovely word too. Couple.

"What should we do now?" he asked.

"I'm hungry. Making out for so long sure opens an appetite, huh?" she grinned playfully.

He agreed through his blush. He was blushing so much today.

And Gohan was loving every moment of it.

ooOoo

"You sure look happy," Bulma chuckled, sitting down across from him in the cafeteria. "Where is your other half?"

"Getting coffee," Gohan sighed dreamily. "We just had the best date ever." He sighed again, resting his head on his arm. "Gosh, I just love her so much. Everything would be perfect once I can finally tell her."

"I'm glad it's going well."

Gohan didn't notice the awkward silence that followed, too busy daydreaming about his perfect date with Videl. After the movie, they went to a restaurant. They talked and laughed for hours, until the staff had to tell them they needed to go because they had to close for the afternoon.

He loved how _easy_ being with Videl was. They could talk for hours, make love for hours, laugh together without any restraint – and just, have fun together, all the time. They were a perfect fit. Gohan honestly believed that Videl had been created only for him. There just wasn't any other logical explanation. They were so perfect for each other. It was like… the world was like an unsolvable equation, yet her sole presence was able to make everything click easily, and the whole world suddenly made perfect sense. She was the cure to his illness. The tranquilizer to his stress. She was like the soothing melody he'd searched for his whole life.

He should write that stuff down, Gohan thought in amusement. Videl was turning him into a poet.

Well, he'd been doing enough writing as it was, really. He wondered if he should show her the letters… but decided against it. There were some things he couldn't share even with her, and those letters were just way too depressing. He wanted to move forward from now on. The past was in the past, and Gohan didn't want to look back anymore. His life was finally beginning, because Videl was finally his.

His soon-to-be wife, he added as a joke, snickering to himself.

They say jokes always had some truth in them, or something like that. Gohan wholeheartedly agreed.

"By the way," Bulma muttered, avoiding his gaze. "I feel like I should remind you that you shouldn't have sex in public places, and let alone in a hospital. People work here, you know."

"Oh my God…"

And just like that, Gohan was absolutely mortified. He wrapped his arms around his head, trying to block out the outside world. _Please tell me she didn't catch us in the act… Please tell me she did not catch us in the act…_

And suddenly, somehow – it got _worse_.

"When are we talking about?" Videl cut in casually, sitting down next to Gohan and setting her steaming cartoon cup on the table, raising an eyebrow at the blue-haired scientist. "We've done it here plenty of times."

"Please kill me now," his muffled voice begged.

"I don't remember you complaining," Videl smirked. "And Bulma's your friend. What's wrong with telling her?"

"She's like my _mother_ ," Gohan uttered in horror.

"Oh." Then she shrugged. "Whatever. It's not like she thought you were a still virgin. Remember yesterday morning when she called, we were in the middle of–"

" _Please_ , Videl," his hoarse voice pleaded desperately. " _Stop_ _talking_."

Bulma laughed into her hand. "You're a funny one, Videl. I like you."

Videl tilted her head and regarded the older woman in thoughts. "I'm not sure I like you yet," she replied bluntly. "I'm very fond of your son, but I still think of our first meeting as a very unpleasant moment."

"I got mad at her for that, you know," Gohan muttered into his arms, still unwilling to get out of the comfort of his hiding place and face them properly. "I'm sorry she made you cry. I've made you cry more than enough."

Videl smiled and reached over to run her fingers through his soft, thick hair. "To be fair," she murmured, her voice soft and gentle. " _I_ made myself cry by pushing you away. You really just make me happy, Gohan."

He finally looked up from the blackness of his arms, his blush very much visible even though half of his face was still concealed. "If you say stuff like that, I'm won't be able to hold back anymore… And you still won't let me say it, right?"

At long last, a deep crimson tint graced her beautiful face, and Videl looked away. Gohan grinned against his arms, priding himself for making her blush for once.

"Not yet," she muttered.

Unable to stop himself, and forgetting about his initial embarrassment, Gohan sat up properly and leaned over to kiss her cheek. "You're so cute."

"Shut up."

He chuckled. "Make me."

Videl quirked an eyebrow at him, and then she smirked and turned to Bulma, whose presence Gohan had somehow forgotten about.

And suddenly he got scared.

"Did you hear us doing it in some random closet?" she asked his second mother, almost innocently. "Or maybe you passed by one of the empty rooms we'd use now and then. Oh, and there was that time we did it in the staircase." Videl shot him a smirk; Gohan's face had lost all of its colors. "That one time was especially amazing. It was right after we got together. You know, Gohan's fucking amazing in bed – which is pretty ironic because we rarely actually do it in a bed."

Bulma looked away. Geez, that girl was making even _her_ embarrassed – and she thought _she_ was blunt. Videl was breaking all records in crude talks, honestly. Bulma couldn't help snickering to herself. What did Gohan get himself into?

"Oh, and remember that time we did it on the roof? Now that was fucking amazing. We should go up there again to fuck some time."

"Videl, _please_." His elbows on the table, his hands were tugging at his hair, partially hiding his mortified blush. " _Shut_. _Up_."

She laughed, and Gohan couldn't help the gentle smile forming on his lips as he glanced at her. He loved her laugh so much. He wanted to hear it more. It was even worth this painful moment.

"Next time," she giggled, patting his shoulder. "Don't mess with me, Gohan."

He cracked a smile. "Noted. I learned my lesson. You're terrifying, you know."

"Damn right I am," she grinned.

Bulma got up, her chair creaking behind her. "Well, I'll leave you two alone."

But just as she started walking away, the blue-haired woman looked at the couple over her shoulder and smirked evilly. "And by the way, to answer your question – it was in the staircase. I realized too late what was happening, so I pretty much heard everything. Heh."

Gohan buried his face deep into his hands. Even Videl blushed, averting her gaze. Bulma laughed as she walked away.

"Oh my fucking God…" Gohan rasped in horror. "Just kill me now."

* * *

 _[YAY! They're finally together! :D_

 _*deep announcer voice*_

 ** _Will it last? Will they break up again? Will the author finally let them be happy together? Find out next on_ To See You Again _!_**

 _Jokes aside, I'm SO happy I finally got them together. :D Also, it's past 7 am, and I pretty much wrote the whole chapter today. Or yesterday and today. Haha. xD Anyway... Please leave me reviews for when I wake up? That'd be super awesome, thanks! :D_

 _By the way, a couple reviewers asked me where Chichi was (see, that's what I forgot to mention on the last update lol). The thing is, her scenes are irrelevant to the plot, so I haven't had the opportunity to write her in the story again yet. But she's around. She's always there for Gohan. I'm sure she'll make an appearance soon enough; she IS Gohan's mom after all._

 _Hope you enjoyed this chapter (actually I_ know _you did, I mean THEY'RE FINALLY TOGETHER YAY!)_

 _... I always sound crazy when I'm sleep deprived. Don't mind me._

 _Love you guys! :D ]_

* * *

 _I almost forgot the credits! The chapter's title is inspired by a line in_ Doctor Who _. Also, huge thanks to Godfather and rockstone, who are always helping me despite the timezones. :D_

* * *

 _September 18, 2016_


	15. Jealousy Is an Ugly Monster

_Chapter Fifteen: Jealousy Is an Ugly Monster_

* * *

Videl woke up to the delicious smell of bacon and eggs. Slowly, she opened her eyes, a dazed smile on her lips as she sat up sleepily and sniffed the air. _Hmm…_ The mouth-watering smell was getting closer.

Just then, Gohan walked through the open door of his bedroom, carrying a platter with him, and his face lit up with a wide grin when he saw her. "Oh, you're awake. Good morning, sleepy-head."

"Is that my breakfast?" she asked dreamily, still a little out of it. Gohan chuckled as he sat down beside her on the mattress and set the platter on her lap. Videl's eyes softened as she noticed the red rose in a tiny vase. The bacon was still sizzling and the eggs smelled of cheese. Turning back to Gohan, she noticed he was a bit dirty and his _gi_ was torn in some places.

"Yep yep. I already had mine, and I've been training all morning. I can't be slacking off." Gohan smiled as Videl didn't waste any time digging in. She sighed in bliss.

"Gosh, this is soooo good."

He grinned from ear to ear, proud that she was enjoying his cooking so much. "Glad to hear it."

With a loving look on his face, Gohan watched the love of his life devour the breakfast he made for her. It had only been about a week since they officially got together, and the young man had never been so happy in his whole life. It was like he was constantly floating on a cloud of pure bliss, and moments like this, just being with her, were his favorite part of being Videl's boyfriend.

Sometimes, the young warrior would feel these bouts of guilt twisting and churning in his gut, and he would ask himself, how could he be enjoying himself and feel so happy when the world was falling apart and lives were ruthlessly taken every day? How could he even think about love when those dreadful cyborgs were still out there, slowly annihilating humanity? Just how much time had he been wasting since he fell in love with Videl? How dared he not spend every waking moment of his life training as hard as he could and try to get stronger than those monsters?

And he'd been slacking off since Trunks got in the hospital, too. He hadn't had a serious training session until this morning. That wasn't good. Gohan knew he should have gotten back to training the moment Trunks woke up – but then Videl finally accepted his feelings and he hadn't felt like doing anything other than be with her.

This was bad. He couldn't allow himself to get so distracted. He really needed to focus on becoming stronger, and that was it.

But…

His gaze softened as he watched the beautiful woman he was allowed to love lean over to smell the rose he'd put on her tray; a soft, gentle smile formed on her cherry lips and she closed her eyes. Gohan's heart ached delightfully.

He swallowed the words he was forbidden to utter. Geez… They kept trying to come out, and if he wasn't careful, he might just say it one day without even realizing it. And he couldn't have that – Videl had to give him permission first; she had to be ready to say it back to him before he was to finally tell her that he loved her.

"I was thinking…" he started, growing a little bit nervous at what he was about to ask her; he scratched his hair out of habit. Videl turned to him and smiled.

"Hm?"

Gohan all but melted. Gosh, she was so freaking cute.

"I was thinking about what we could do today," he said, cracking an awkward smile.

"Yeah?"

Gohan took in a deep breath and then let it out slowly, gathering some courage. He hoped it wasn't too soon to ask her this.

"What is it?" Videl asked curiously, tilting her head. Gohan smiled at her, his eyes softening, and cupped her cheek tenderly.

"I would like you to meet my mother," he murmured, and her eyes widened. "Please?"

"Isn't it…" Videl looked away. "Isn't it a bit too soon to start meeting the parents?"

"It doesn't feel like it's too soon," Gohan muttered. "I've been in looo–" He cut himself off and shared a shocked look with Videl, who visibly guessed what he had been about to blurt out. "Err, I mean, I've been… dying to be with you for a whole year," he corrected himself, looking sideway with a bright blush on his face.

"Look, Gohan, we just started dating," she said in a soft tone. "Meeting your mother… that's a big deal, and I don't think I'm ready for that."

He turned at her with puppy eyes and Videl felt her resolves weaken. "Please? I really want her to meet you."

Damn him and his eyes. How was this relationship ever going to work for her if just one look from him could make her do anything he wanted? She felt like melting and say yes to everything he asked from her, but Videl forced herself to frown and willed herself to stand her ground.

"She can meet me another time," she decided, pushing the tray off her lap to get up from the bed. Gohan's gaze followed her as she took off her night shirt – another one of his blue shirts, in fact – and walked out the room butt-naked.

She passed the living area and turned left to the bathroom, immediately starting a shower. Gohan followed her, clearly not done making his case. Videl rolled her eyes, decided not to give in to him, and stepped into the shower, closing the transparent glass door behind her.

"I already told her we'd come," Gohan informed her, crossing his arms and leaning back against the sink as he watched her through the glass cubicle.

"Why would you do that?" Videl said angrily through the running water. "I'm still not going. You go and explain to your mother why you shouldn't make plans about me without me."

He shamelessly ran his eyes over her dripping wet skin, going over each and every curve and muscle of her gorgeous body. Before long, however, the steam covered the glass around her, and Gohan looked down. His training pants had gotten tighter.

"She really wants to meet you, Videl," he sighed, running his hand through his hair down to the back of his neck. "She was the one who suggested it and she put me on the spot. I'm sorry to spring that on you out of the blue, but when my mom gets an idea stuck in her head there's nothing I can do to make her change her mind. She's pretty much as stubborn as you."

In the shower, Videl cracked a smile at that. Now she was getting curious about meeting Gohan's mom…

"Can't we do that another day though?" she proposed, still unwilling to cave just yet. In the back of her mind, Videl knew she was going to lose this disagreement. But that didn't mean she was going down without a fight. Obviously.

"I'd rather not…" Gohan replied slowly, smiling awkwardly. "I'd told you my mom is super strict, so canceling a commitment is a big no-no. I wouldn't want her to get a bad first impression of you."

"Does it matter? She's probably going to hate me for stealing her baby boy away from her anyway, isn't she? All mothers are like that." She sighed, massaging the shampoo into her scalp. "I really don't want to go, Gohan."

"I know…"

He didn't say anything else afterwards, and Videl shrugged to herself, letting out a sigh as she rinsed the soap off her body and hair. Had she won then? She sure hoped so. Meeting Gohan's mother so soon was the last thing she wanted to do today. At least if he'd given her more of a warning she could have prepared herself mentally for this. It was better if they met later anyway. What was the rush?

The glass door suddenly slid open, and a naked Gohan got into the cubicle with her before shutting the door again. "I need a shower too anyway," he stated, reaching behind her to grab the soap.

The shower cube was tiny for the both of them, and adding the steamy water to the equation, Videl felt very _very_ hot as Gohan's gorgeous, perfectly sculpted body brushed her. _Especially_ between her legs.

"I don't want to meet your mother today," Videl affirmed again, narrowing her eyes at him.

"I got that part," he smiled at her. "But we're still going."

She frowned. "No we're not."

He chuckled – and all of a sudden Videl swallowed as he started rubbing the soap over his broad chest. "Trust me, Videl, you do not want to get on her bad side. My father was the strongest man in the universe and sometimes she would scare him shitless."

His hands were lowering to his mouth-watering abs now. Videl was barely listening to a word he said as she stared at his scarred torso. If anything, his scars only made him look more beautiful and perfect.

Gohan smirked. And then he had her pinned against the wall and buried his nose in her neck. "Do this for me, Videl… Please. It would mean so much to me…"

She moaned as he started ravishing her skin. "You're… cheating…" Videl panted. She hissed when he slid his left hand down her stomach and didn't stop until he reached her crotch.

"Hey, you're the one standing here all beautiful and sexy and wet," he whispered in her ear. "Should I hold myself back when I'm aching to make you mine?"

Videl tried to retort something but only a long groan escaped her lips as Gohan's fingers slipped inside of her and started pleasuring her. He captured her mouth and kissed her avidly. Videl melted into him, wrapping her arms around his neck. Gohan used his right hand to lift her up, pushing her further against the wall, his left hand still busy between her thighs. She moved her right leg around his hips, leaving her left one dangling to make the access easier for his skilled hand.

She loved how bold Gohan could get when he was aroused. He who was usually so bashful and shy could somehow transform into this hot, confident, daring sex god, capable of turning her knees into goo and set her whole being on fire, driven by lust and urgency.

He always said she was too impatient, and he was right – but could you blame her when she was with a man who could make her hot and wet with just one smirk? Sometimes she wondered how she'd been able to resist him for so long – not that she'd done such a good job at it anyway.

She knew at this point that Gohan had won. She was simply unable to refuse him anything – ever. Videl decided to worry about what this meant about the dynamic of their relationship later.

Right now, his hard dick was finally sliding deep inside of her tight walls, and her mind turned off completely as each of his thrusts made her writhe in the most fulfilling sensations.

ooOoo

She had managed to compromise and put off meeting Gohan's mother to this evening, pretexting she wanted to go visit Trunks today. Which was true anyway, and Gohan agreed to drop her off at the hospital before taking off again, asking her to say hi to Trunks for him. He wasn't done training for the day.

Trunks' friends were by his side when she got there, so Videl didn't stay for long, satisfied by the lively colors on the bandaged boy's face. She told him Gohan would come say hi later and wished him well, and then she left the kids be. Of course Shay was all over her and wanted her to stay, but Videl simply smiled, patted her head, and left.

Videl was walking along the hallways randomly, not quite sure what to do with herself until sunset. She caught a glimpse of a familiar red head, running in haste after a trolley across the adjacent corridor, and a scowl deformed her features before she could help it. It was that woman who had kissed Gohan. _Ugh_ … It made her so mad. How could he let that tramp fool him like that? Videl hated that another woman had kissed Gohan. He was _hers_ , damn it, and nobody was allowed to even look at him except for her.

"You don't look too happy."

Videl stopped and turned to look at Bulma, who was sitting in a kind of recreation spot, a carton cup in her hands. The young woman was still a bit wary of the famous scientist after their unpleasant first meeting, and usually she would avoid any contact with her unless necessary. But, Videl figured, since this was a woman that was like a mother to Gohan, she probably should make an effort to get along. Besides, the only reason Bulma lashed out at her last year was because she'd broken Gohan's heart and he nearly got himself killed because of that. That was more than understandable, after all.

Videl collapsed in the chair next to Bulma with a deep, heavy sigh. "It's stupid. Did you know some doctor kissed Gohan?"

Bulma raised her eyebrows. And then she smirked. "So you're jealous."

The young fighter rolled her eyes. "I'm mad that he let that woman take advantage of how gullible he is. That's not jealousy."

Bulma cracked a smile, and then turned to stare ahead aimlessly. "I'd be raging with jealousy if some woman kissed the man I love."

Videl cringed at her choice of words. She was still avoiding that word like the plague, because if anything were to happen, if being with Gohan became too much to handle, Videl didn't want to let his profession of love hold her back. She had to protect herself, first and foremost.

… It was bad enough he'd almost blurted it out this morning.

"Gohan wants me to meet his mother," she said out of the blue, changing the subject. Bulma turned to her and blinked.

"Wow. You're going to meet Chichi?" Bulma blinked again and then looked sideway in thoughts. "It's hard to imagine how she'd react to meeting you. She could go both ways, to be honest. There's no telling with that woman."

Videl made a face. "Gee, thanks."

"But she's an incredible woman, you know," Bulma added with a soft smile. "She's strong-willed and devoted and kind, and Gohan is her world. She was a martial artist in her youth too, so you two have more than one thing in common. If you play this right, you two could really hit it off."

"Any word of advice?" Videl asked with a thoughtful look on her face.

Bulma chuckled. "Yeah. Be on your best behavior, so refrain from swearing in front of her."

Videl grimaced again. "Shit, that's gonna be tough." There was a pause. "... See what I mean?"

"Try replacing the cuss words with one that sound similar. You know, shoot instead of shit, fudge instead of fuck. That kind of stuff."

"What a pain in the ass…" Videl sighed, slumping her shoulders.

"And say butt instead of ass."

The young brunette rolled her eyes. "You're not her. I can swear as much as I fucking want until I meet her."

The blue-haired scientist laughed. "Yeah, but it'd be good practice to start now. Chichi is going to think you're a bad influence on Gohan, and she won't like you. Now you don't want that, do you?"

Videl pouted, crossed her arms. "What a pain."

The other woman cracked a smile. "Much better."

The young fighter heaved a sigh. "What else can you tell me?"

"Refrain from public displays of affection when she's around. She's very old-fashioned," Bulma explained, and Videl groaned in response. "She's the kind of woman who thinks you should wait to be married before you have sex."

"What the fuuuu… dge," Videl corrected herself in time. "Who thinks like that nowadays? I mean, anyone could get killed at any moment, so what does she expect everyone to do? Die a virgin?"

The older woman smiled kindly. "Well, don't tell her that."

"Fucking hell…" Videl muttered under her breath. Bulma laughed slightly.

"Gohan wasn't your first, was he?"

Videl eyed the woman with a frown. "I don't believe we're that close yet."

"Did you do it because you didn't want to die a virgin, then?"

The young woman scowled, looking away from Gohan's friend. This was why she didn't like her. Bulma was the kind of person who didn't care if she was invading another person's privacy and butting in their business. Like now. Seriously, how was her sex life any of that woman's business?

Videl stood up and shoved her left pigtail behind her. "Thanks for the advice," she said simply, before walking away.

She didn't like that Bulma. Videl hoped Gohan's actual mom was nothing like her.

ooOoo

Videl wasn't sure how she got roped into this, but for Gohan's sake, the young woman decided to just stay quiet and go with the flow. She fidgeted with the smooth fabric of the skirt she was wearing and tried not to think about what Delia was doing with her hair.

The teenage girl had come up to her earlier and the subject of Videl meeting Gohan's mother today was eventually brought up. Hearing that, the pretty blonde took a good long look at the female fighter and cringed slightly.

"You can't meet her dressed like this," she'd frowned, shaking her head. "How about you come with me to Capsule Corp.? I'm sure I could find something that'd be a better fit for meeting your boyfriend's mother. We're about the same size too."

"You're skinnier than me," Videl had pointed out, determined not to go down without a fight. Like that worked so well for her earlier.

"Barely," Delia waved her off. "I'll let the guys know we're going so that Gohan can come and join us later to pick you up."

Videl had pouted all the way to the Capsule Corporation, unwilling to admit that Delia was right and that she couldn't possibly go meet Gohan's mother dressed in tight jeans, a tight tank top, knee-length boots, a leather jacket and fingerless gloves. She was dressed like usual and hadn't put much thought into it this morning, but Delia did have a point. If she wanted to make a good first impression on Gohan's mother, she had to look nice and proper – especially since, from what Bulma told her, that woman was very rigid about that kind of stuff.

Ugh, what a pain.

Delia had dressed her in a loose, blue sweater and a wavy gray skirt with printed black flowers. And, lucky her (oh joy), they also had the same shoe size, so Videl was wearing dark brown ankle boots. Black tights and a black cardigan were completing the look, and Delia was currently doing… _something_ with her long hair. A side braid, from the feel of it – Videl had made a point not to look at herself in the mirror in front of them.

Delia finally straightened up and made her stand up from her chair, and then the younger girl made her turn around and watched her carefully. Videl really didn't like the feeling of being judged by a teenage girl. Why did she agree to let her play dolls with her again?

Oh, right. For Gohan. That lovable bastard. All this trouble better be worth it… Or Videl swore she was going to put _him_ in a dress. See if he liked it!

"How about some mascara and lip gloss?" Delia suggested with a pleading look. "Just a _tiny_ bit to bring out your natural beauty."

In any other time Videl would have protested and struggled like a mad woman, but right now it just wasn't worth the fight. She heaved a deep sigh and slumped her shoulders, and then sat back in the chair and closed her eyes, letting Delia do whatever the fuck she wanted with her face.

It barely took another minute – Delia was quite the skilled makeup artist. When Videl opened her eyes and looked at herself in the full-length mirror, standing up, the young woman could barely recognize herself. Sure, this was her face, but everything else looked so… foreign. The makeup was very light and barely noticeable, just as Delia promised, and the overall look really did look super nice. Videl had no idea she could appear so… feminine. It was like she was only finding out now that she was a girl.

"So?" Delia grinned proudly. "Like it?"

"I don't know," Videl answered honestly, unable to take her eyes off her reflection in the mirror. "But I'm sure Gohan's mother will, so that's what matters, right?"

At least this whole makeover crap was _finally_ done and over with, so Videl didn't waste any time leaving the teenage girl's bedroom. They walked together through the endless hallways of Capsule Corp., and Videl couldn't help looking all around them even though everything looked the same. The walls were bland and all the doors were of the same metallic material. The ceiling was super high though, which looked quite impressive to the young fighter. This was her first time ever visiting Capsule Corp. so Videl couldn't help being curious. She kinda wanted to open random doors and take a peek or two inside. Sure, she'd probably not find anything interesting, but still. This was the one and only Capsule Corporation, the place where _hoi poi_ capsules had been invented and were the most brilliant minds had worked together to create incredible things. It wasn't every day that one got a look behind the scenes. It was almost disappointing how boring and ordinary everything looked.

Delia led her to the kitchen, and Fred jolted to his feet when he saw them walk inside, spilling his glass of milk all over his gray shirt. He cursed and turned around to grab a towel hanging on the oven's door and dabbed it on his shirt.

"Gee, Fred, clumsy much?" mocked his younger sister, to whom he sent a dark look. She rolled her eyes and just walked out. Videl blinked at the doorway, wondering if she should go after Delia, but then she just shrugged and sat down at the table. She frowned at the puddle of milk on the tiled floor and looked around the kitchen for a mop.

But as it seemed, Delia had actually just gone to get one, and without a word she mopped the floor. When she was done, she tossed the mop at her brother who caught the wooden stick with a sheepish smile.

"Thanks," he said. Delia just shrugged and sat down across from Videl. "I better change my shirt," he added, before going out of the kitchen.

"He's such a loser," Delia chuckled. "But he's a good guy."

Videl didn't say anything in response, having found her reflection on the door of the oven. Man, was this actually her? She couldn't get over how different she looked. Was she even the same person anymore?

"You look amazing," Delia said softly, leaning forward and tucking her chin in her palms, a dreamy look in her eyes. "Gohan's gonna gawk at you. I have to be there when he sees you."

The thought of seeing Gohan's reaction to her new look made Videl smile. That had to be the one upside of getting dressed up like a girl. She wondered how red he was going to get.

"I'm sure his mom's going to love you," Delia added with a kind smile. "You're pretty amazing yourself, you know."

"Thanks," Videl said, smiling. "And I have to admit, even though this look is _so_ not me, it's kinda nice. I don't hate it."

Delia's face lit up as if she'd just been given the best of compliments.

"Back in a clean shirt," Fred said as he walked back in the kitchen. He collapsed in the chair adjacent to Videl and shot her a grin, a light blush on his cheeks. "You look gorgeous, by the way. What's the special occasion?"

"She's meeting Gohan's mom," Delia answered for her.

Fred's eyes widened. "Wow… Already?"

"See, I told him it was too soon!" Videl shot heatedly. "I told him meeting his mother could wait – I mean, seriously, why the rush? But noooo, that bastard wouldn't hear any of it, and of course, how could I say no to him when he's somehow _both_ incredibly adorable and crazy hot? That sexy jackass."

Delia and Fred laughed at her expense, and Videl crossed her arms and pouted.

"I take it things are going well between you two?" Fred grinned. "That's too bad. Kinda wish you were single – or at least, _not_ dating my idol."

"Like you could ever measure up to someone like Gohan," Delia jibed, smirking. " _I_ certainly wouldn't mind if _he_ was single. I mean, sure, I'm a bit young, but he's barely out of his teens, right?"

"Yeah, he's twenty, like me," Videl confirmed.

"Well, see? He's just five years older than me! Our parents were eight years apart, you know? And they were a very happy couple!"

"You guys kinda remind me of them," Fred commented, a look of melancholy on his face. "They were very much in love."

Videl mentally cringed. That word again. Why couldn't everybody stop using it when they talked about Gohan and her? Did she need to send out a memo or something? Because, if that was what it took, Videl was ready to do that.

"What happened to them?" she asked, eager to change the subject, even though she suspected that the answer to that question couldn't be a happy one.

"No idea," Fred replied, frowning deeply. "We got separated during the attack four years ago and Delia and I weren't able to find them afterwards. They're probably dead."

His sister suddenly clapped her hand over her mouth and muffled a sob. Then she stood up abruptly and ran out of the kitchen, ignoring Fred's feeble attempt at an apology. He heaved a deep, discouraged sigh and slouched on the table, wrapping his arms around his head.

"Man, I suck," he mumbled in dejection. Videl patted his shoulder, trying to comfort him. "It's been four years, but Delia is still hoping. Praying, rather."

"I know how that feels," Videl said quietly, running her hand over her neck. "My dad and I also got separated, and I never saw him again. I know he's most likely dead, but sometimes I just can't help hoping that one day he's going to show up at my doorstep and crush me in a bear hug."

"Yeah," Fred murmured, looking up at her from his crossed arms on the table. "I find myself hoping I'd see them again, even though I know it's hopeless…"

"It'd be nice if, somehow, we could all find each other again in heaven or something," Videl commented wishfully.

"That's a nice thought," Fred smiled, leaning the side of his head on his arms. "That'd mean my parents found each other up there. That's comforting."

Videl hummed in agreement, and the pair fell into comfortable silence. She leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes, picturing her own parents running to each other in the afterlife. A gentle smile formed on her lips. That was such a nice thought. Although Videl had never been the religious or faithful type, she found herself hoping heaven did exist, and that all the people that the cyborgs had been killing were reunited with all their loved ones. It made the current state of the world a lot more bearable.

"So, are you nervous about meeting Gohan's mom?" Fred asked after a while, sitting up.

"What do you think?" Videl said with sarcasm, rolling her eyes.

"She can't be that bad," he reasoned. "I mean, Gohan's such a nice guy. Surely his mom must be nice too, right?"

"Sure hope so."

"You could always break up with him and date me instead," he offered with a cocky smirk. "I mean, at least you won't have to meet _my_ parents."

Videl laughed. "As tempting as that sound, I'm gonna have to pass. I don't think I could ever be with anyone else even if I ended up breaking up with Gohan."

"Aww, why not?" Fred mock-pouted, crossing his arms.

She shrugged. "No man can measure up to him. Sorry."

"Aww man…"

She smirked. "It's too bad, too, because I'm sure we could've had a lot of fun if I'd never met Gohan."

Fred stared at her, his lips parted, his face flushed. Then he looked sideways and pouted. "If you say that, I'm gonna be tempted to steal you from him. And I kinda owe him my life, you know?"

Videl laughed. "You're welcome to try, but your chances are pretty much zero."

He eyed her with a cocky smirk. "I think you'd be surprised. He's lucky he's who he is, otherwise I'd be hitting on you like a horny dog."

"You mean, you're not already?"

He quirked an eyebrow. "Hardly."

She laughed again. That guy sure knew how to make a girl laugh. Fred grinned proudly, leaning back in his chair and crossing his hands behind his head.

It was to that scene that Gohan came up to, frowning at the sight of Videl getting along a little too well with that guy. "Hello," he greeted them curtly.

Videl grinned widely and stood up, turning to him, and she noted with an appreciative look that he had actually changed from his usual _gi_. He was wearing gray dress pants, black dress shoes, a black collar shirt, and a dark sweater. Man, she wished he could dress like this more often. Gohan looked like a hot nerd. He was only missing a pair of glasses.

"Wow… You look…" he breathed, unable to form a coherent sentence.

Videl smirked, enjoying the look of awe and the bright blush on Gohan's adorable face. She closed the distance between them and reached up to kiss his lips softly. "You look quite handsome yourself," she smiled sweetly up at him.

"You look amazing," he murmured, cupping her cheek tenderly. "Like an angel."

"I'm a devil, actually," she grinned, and Gohan laughed.

"You're the best," he said softly, pressing his forehead against hers, his thumb stroking her jawline.

"Can't argue with that."

Gohan bit back the "I love you" that was bursting to come out. Oh, man, when would he be able to tell her already? This was getting harder and harder – and why was she still forbidding him from telling her anyway? They were together now, so why couldn't he tell her that he was hopelessly, desperately, irremediably in love with her?

"Shall we go, then?" he said, pulling back to offer her his arm.

"Lead the way," she grinned, her eyes shining in mirth as she took his arm. "See you later, Fred," she called over her shoulder as they walked out of the kitchen, unknowingly making Gohan frown.

He knew it was stupid and that he had absolutely nothing to worry about, and Gohan wished he could stop feeling so jealous – but he just couldn't help it. Seeing Videl even just talking with another man was awakening an ugly monster from within him that made him wish he could punch the guy in the face without holding back. Repeatedly.

"Aww, are you jealous?" Videl teased, leaning over on her side as she looked up at him, long braid falling following her movement. Gohan's frown deepened.

"I wish I wasn't," he muttered. "I know it's stupid and that I have nothing to worry about, but seeing you with another guy just makes me so furious."

"That bad, huh?" she smirked. He looked at her in distress.

"Even worse."

She giggled, leaning her head against his arm, her hand finding his and intertwining their fingers. "You're so cute."

He smiled, kissing the top of her head, his fingers tightening around hers. "That's my line."

ooOoo

Gordon and Fye both frowned and shared a worried look as they passed Delia's door. The sound of sobbing was pretty hard not to recognize.

"You should talk to her," Fye said.

"What do you mean?" Gordon's frown deepened, but this time in confusion. His taller friend rolled his eyes.

"For a smart dude, even you can be slow, Gordon. Anyway," he smirked. "I'm sure Delia would appreciate it if you comforted her."

"And you're not coming?"

Fye quirked an eyebrow at the curly haired boy. "You don't need me there."

Gordon was still frowning as he watched his friend walk away while waving at him. And there he'd thought nobody had figured it out… Oh well. Gordon knew Fye wasn't going to tell anyone, and he was actually trying to help him with Delia.

He blushed and scratched the inside of his wrist. He was growing nervous at the thought of being alone with her. The sound of her sobs gave him the determination to knock on the door. He didn't wait for her permission to open it, and closed it behind him as he walked inside.

The sight of her crying in her bed was making his chest ache.

"Delia?" He took a few steps towards the bed. "Delia, what's wrong? What happened?"

"My parents are dead," she whimpered into her pillow, her voice coming out muffled and broken. "I know they're long gone, but I just, I just want to see them again so bad. I miss them so much."

Gordon sat on the bed and placed a trembling hand on her back, hoping to soothe her sorrow. "I know how that feels. I wish I could see my parents again too, even if it's just one more day with them." His voice lowered to a whisper. "I wish Jake and June could see them again. I think they're forgetting more and more about them."

"Oh, Gordon…" Delia suddenly sat up and crushed her friend in a tight hug.

Gordon felt his eyes water and closed them tightly, wrapping his arms around Delia and burying his face into her wild, frizzy blonde hair. He tended to forget how much he missed his parents, because he was lucky enough to have friends and still some family left. Some people had nothing. Most people were dead.

He even had a childhood friend that was so special to his heart. How many people could say as much?

"I'm so glad I have you," he whispered hoarsely. He felt a bit lame to cry like a little boy, but sometimes it was too hard to hold it together. He was grateful that he had someone like Delia who he knew would never make fun of him for that, but actually be there for him and support him no matter what.

He felt a bit lousy to be needing her comfort when he actually meant to comfort _her_.

"Yeah, me too," Delia sighed softly, leaning her head on his shoulder.

He wondered what she'd think if she knew how he actually felt about her. They'd been friends for so long, it'd be so weird to change the dynamic of their relationship. Gordon figured that he wasn't in any rush to change things between them. As long as Delia stayed in his life, he didn't care if he had to wait for years, even, before actually confessing his feelings to her.

He tightened his arms around her and nuzzled her hair. She smelled so nice. He let himself wonder what it'd be like to kiss her.

"Do you feel better now?" he asked with a smile. _He_ was feeling amazing right now.

"Much better," she giggled. "Hugs are the best. And you give great hugs."

"Yep, that's me," he chuckled. "Pro at giving hugs. Don't hesitate to ask for one if you ever feel down again."

She laughed into his shoulder. "You're silly."

"I made you laugh, so it's worth it."

Delia tightened her arms around his neck. "Thank you so much, Gordon. Thank you for being my friend."

He figured that any other guy would feel bitter if the girl they liked said something like that to them, but Gordon smiled in content at those words. He loved being Delia's friend. He loved being able to make her feel better and to make her laugh. He loved that he got to hold her in his arms and smell her hair. He truly loved her, as a friend, and as something more too.

He didn't even care if they spent their whole life as friends. He just loved being in Delia's life. He loved her.

ooOoo

"Well, here we are…" Videl looked at the dome-shaped home, biting down on her lip anxiously.

Damn it, why was Gohan making her meet his mother so early in their relationship? Couldn't he have given her a few days' heads-up at least? That was a reasonable request, wasn't it? Ugh, she hated feeling so nervous and awkward. Did she even need to meet Gohan's only parent anyway? Like, seriously – what for? Couldn't he just show the woman some photos of her or something?

She felt Gohan squeeze her hand encouragingly and turned to look at him. She wished she could glare at him to let him know that she was _so_ not okay about all this, but the damn bastard looked way too adorable, and her heart only melted at the sight of his gentle smile.

"Don't worry," he said softly. "I know she's going to be crazy about you. Now come on."

He started walking, but Videl's legs were unwilling to move, and Gohan was forced to stop. He chuckled.

"Come on," he smiled, tugging at her hand. "She won't bite, I promise."

"I don't want to," she pouted, looking away.

"We're already here. Might as well meet her, right?"

Her frown deepened. "I hate you for making me do this."

He chuckled and leaned down to kiss her cheek. "I'll make it up to you later, okay? Now come on. She's waiting for us."

And apparently, Chichi grew tired of waiting for her son to bring his girlfriend inside; the door opened, and she frowned at the couple.

"Well, what are you doing just standing there? Come on in already," she said sternly, before walking back inside.

Gohan winced. Well, this wasn't starting off too great. Hopefully, it was going to get better as the night moved along…

Videl swallowed, letting Gohan lead her inside the cute little home. She reflected that his mother looked a lot younger than she would have expected for someone who had a twenty-year-old son. Videl made a mental note to mention that – older women loved to hear that they looked young, didn't they?

"H-Hello, I'm Videl," she greeted the woman before her. Chichi looked at her severely, her arms crossed, almost scowling at her.

"I know who you are," she replied curtly. "You broke my baby's heart and he nearly got himself killed because of you."

"Mom, you promised you wouldn't start…" Gohan objected, frowning.

"Well, I'm sorry Gohan, but does she know how much she's hurt you?" Chichi retorted heatedly. "Does she have any idea how dead your eyes looked as you lay in that hospital bed? Does she know who had to pick up the pieces after she all but stomped on your poor heart?"

"That's enough, Mom," Gohan scowled, his hand tightening on Videl's. "If you're going to be like that, we're leaving. I didn't bring Videl so you could vent on her."

"Gohan, don't… don't say that…" Videl swallowed her tears. The harsh truth that Chichi threw at her left an aching throb in her chest. "She's right, and you know that. I was… I was so awful to you."

"You had your reasons, and you were right in a way," Gohan defended her stubbornly. "Apologize to Videl, Mom," he told his mother. "Or we're leaving."

Chichi pursed her lips, staring intently at the young woman holding her son's hand. "Fine," she spat. "I'm sorry I brought that up. But if you ever hurt my baby again, I swear I'm gonna hunt you down and kick your ass. Is that clear?"

Somehow, Videl felt that this woman was very much capable of kicking her ass. "Very clear, ma'am."

"Good. Now let's have a nice dinner together."

Videl could sense that Chichi's smile was very much forced. The woman was obviously still wary of her, as though she expected Videl to hurt Gohan right then and there. Geez… Just what happened after she broke it off with Gohan after that one day they spent together?

"You know I'm sorry, right?" Videl whispered to Gohan as they followed Chichi to the kitchen. He blinked as he turned to her. Then a gentle smile curved his lips. And Videl could feel herself melt into a useless puddle of dreamy goo.

"Yeah," he murmured, pulling her hand to bring her closer and plant a soft kiss on her temple. Videl froze slightly and glanced at Chichi, who was walking ahead of them. The woman was thankfully not looking at them – Bulma did warn her not to display their affection in front of Gohan's mother.

"Not in front of her, okay?" she mouthed, motioning to Chichi. A flash of realization crossed his handsome features, and Videl smiled in endearment. He was just so cute.

"Oh yeah. Forgot about her, hehe," he chuckled nervously, scratching his hair with his spare hand.

As Chichi opened the door to the kitchen, the amazing smell suddenly washed over Videl's nostrils and her mouth started watering. Her eyes widened at the sight of the table: a real feast awaited them, with a huge amount of delicious-looking dishes. Her stomach suddenly came alive and growled in anticipation.

"Wow," she breathed in awe. "This looks incredible."

At last, a real, albeit mild smile tugged at Chichi's lips at the compliment. Gohan grinned.

"Mom's the best cook in the world – and I'm not even exaggerating."

"I believe you," Videl murmured, her eyes glued to the gorgeous table.

Chichi sat in her usual seat and invited the couple to do the same. Gohan sat next to Videl and reluctantly let go of her hand. He watched his mother anxiously, waiting for her permission to dig in. Chichi smiled.

"All right then. Bon appétit."

"Thank you for having me," Videl said quietly, hoping it wasn't too late to make a good impression on Gohan's mother. In the meantime, the young man in question was happily stuffing his face to the delectable feast.

"I have to admit," Chichi started with a small smile as she helped herself to some rice and sauce. "You seem a lot nicer than I'd imagined."

Videl's features softened. "I'm really sorry about everything, you know. I was trying to protect myself, but I just ended up hurting us both in the process."

Gohan swallowed his mouthful. "Well, I'm glad I was finally able to make you change your mind," he grinned playfully. "I've never been happier in my life."

Videl blushed and looked away, while the older woman looked on with a soft smile.

"I'm glad to hear that," Chichi said.

As she tasted the tender meat of the boar, Videl almost let out a moan of ecstasy. "Oh… my… God… This is _heavenly_."

"Thank you," the mother smiled politely.

At this point, the young woman didn't even care whether Gohan's mom liked her. The only thing she could think of right now was how much she could devour of this delicious feast before her stomach exploded.

ooOoo

They were sitting on the grass by the house. Videl didn't remember the last time she saw so many stars in the sky. It was breathtaking. Gohan squeezed her hand, and she squeezed his back, smiling in content.

"Just throwing this out there," Chichi spoke, breaking the long silence, still looking up at the sky. "I would like to meet my grandchildren before I die."

" _Mom_!" Gohan interjected, covering his beet-red face with his large hand. "Seriously, what the heck?"

Videl felt too mortified to utter a word.

"What?" Chichi said innocently. "I'm not getting any younger, and you've finally settled down with a girl. Is it too much to ask for a few grandkids?"

"Yes!" Gohan shot back heatedly, glaring at his mother. "Are you trying to scare her off? We just started dating for Pete's sake!"

The woman shrugged her shoulders. "I didn't even date your father before we got married. Why would you need to if you already know you're with the person you're meant to be?"

Videl got up and dusted off the nice skirt Delia let her borrow. "I think it's time we head back," she muttered, avoiding to look at either of them. She knew her face must be blazing red. Hopefully the dark night was hiding some of it.

"See what you did?" Gohan accused, getting up as well to stand beside his mortified girlfriend.

"Oh well." Chichi shrugged. "I was just saying. You don't have to have a kid right now, but it'd be nice if you didn't wait too long."

"Mom, seriously…" Gohan heaved a sigh. "You're not even forty. If you want a baby so much you can still have one yourself – you've got at least another ten to fifteen years, you know."

Chichi crossed her arms and pouted. "But I don't want to be a mom again at my age. I want to be a grandma."

"Anyway…" Videl cleared her throat. She sent Gohan a pleading look. "Can we go?"

He slumped his shoulders. This night didn't go as well as he'd hoped. "Yes, we're going." He looked at his mother. "Good night, Mom."

Chichi got up and hugged her son. "Come visit me more, okay?" she told him quietly, to which he smiled and nodded. Then Chichi turned to Videl and offered the younger woman her hand. "Nice meeting you, Videl."

"Likewise," Videl lied, shaking Gohan's mother's hand. The thought of this woman becoming the grandmother to her kids was kind of terrifying. Not that she planned to have kids anyway – or tell the woman about her intentions. "Good night, ma'am."

Gohan picked her up, nodded at his mother again, and took off to the sky. Videl leaned her head on his shoulder, heaving a deep, tired sigh.

"I told you it was too soon."

He smiled in apology. "I know. I'll try harder to stand up to her next time she asks something of me that concerns you."

Videl closed her eyes and smiled, enjoying the feeling of soaring through the sky in Gohan's arms. He was so comfy and warm. "Good."

How she loved that man.

ooOoo

"So it didn't go so well, huh." Bulma turned to him from the big green screen she was working on and grimaced in sympathy.

Gohan sighed deeply, running his hand through his hair. "Could've been worse, I guess."

She chuckled, turning back to typing fervently on the keyboard. "That's the spirit."

"So what do you need my help with?" he smiled sheepishly. "If I can be of any help, that is."

"You were always a smart kid, Gohan, I'm not worried." She shot him a smile before focusing back on the big screen. "See this? I'm trying to work out the formula for the energy I'm going to need for the time machine." Bulma frowned. "I still can't get it right. Help me figure it out."

Sitting on the floor some distance away and leaning back against a vehicle prototype, an old notebook in his hands, Gordon tore his gaze off the pages to look at the pair by the giant computer. "Do you need me too?" he offered.

"Sure. The more the merrier," Bulma replied. The young boy stood up and walked over to them, turning to stare at the screen. "Can you understand what's on the screen?" she asked Gordon.

"Not all of it. Studying your journal has been helpful though."

Gohan raised an eyebrow at the teenager. "I didn't know you were into science."

Gordon shot him a smirk. "Could say the same about you. You don't strike as the brainy type with your training gear."

"Hehe, fair enough," the young man grinned, scratching the back of his head. Looking down at himself, Gohan wondered if he should've worn something else than his usual _gi_ to work with Bulma. He was so used to wearing it that he didn't even think twice when he got ready this morning.

"All right then," Bulma cracked her fingers. "Let's do this. Team Genius – go."

Gordon snickered. "Team Genius?"

"I'm no genius, honestly…" Gohan added, cracking a sheepish smile.

"Of course you are, you're just too humble to admit it," Bulma stated.

"I'm really not… I haven't studied seriously in years. And I don't have that much time to give you, either. I need to get back into training after this."

"In the meantime, let's figure this out. This formula has been driving me crazy."

Gohan nodded, and he and Gordon focused on the big green screen full of complicated formulas and equations. The young man's brain started to add up everything almost too easily; he grabbed a notepad from the desk beside him and started taking notes. Gordon looked down at his notes and blinked in surprise.

"Impressive," he commented. "Bulma wasn't kidding. You really are a genius."

"He's got brains, brawn, looks, _and_ he's the nicest guy in the world," Bulma grinned. "Honestly, I'd be jealous of Videl if I didn't see you as my own son."

Blushing through his concentrated look, Gohan tried not to pay much attention to his embarrassment. They had a lot of work to do.

ooOoo

Gohan had forgotten how much he loved science. And how much it could work an appetite to strain his brain so much. He was happy to have lunch with Bulma and Gordon. He was not so happy to see Fred joining them. Oh well. At least the cute twins were here to get his mind off the guy who would've loved to be with Videl in his place. The rest of the kids were at the hospital with Trunks, while Videl had asked him to leave her at his place because she wanted to train.

He surprised himself today at the lab, honestly. Gohan had figured he would be rusty – but somehow, science was like riding a bike. Everything he ever learned came back to him easily, and working with Bulma and Gordon had been quite fun actually. Gordon, while only a teenager, was a quick study and had one of the sharpest minds Gohan had ever met. He could definitely see why Bulma would ask the boy to join them.

They had made some progress today. While they still hadn't been able to get the formula quite right, they were getting closer. It was going to be tough, but Gohan was confident. With a team like them, they were bound to figure it out.

It sure would've been great if Bulma's dad was still around, though. The man and his wife got caught in the middle of one of the cyborgs' attacks while on vacation. Gohan remembered the old scientist fondly. He would always be in a good mood, and Gohan loved listening to his ramblings when he was a kid. Sometimes he would just stare at the man and think, _This is the man who invented_ hoi poi _capsules. Wow._ Since Gohan was born into them, it was hard to imagine the world without these convenient capsules. Yet they hadn't been around for that long, actually.

"You're going back to train after lunch, right?" Bulma asked him at the table.

"Yeah, I have to. Can't be slacking off."

"Could I come watch you sometime?" Fred asked him with stars in his eyes.

Gohan eyed the other guy skeptically. He knew that Fred guy wasn't going to try anything on Videl as long as she was with him, but Gohan was still having a hard time liking this guy. Yet, Fred looked like he absolutely adored him. It was kind of hard to say no when someone was looking at you with such admiration.

"Um, sure, I don't see why not," Gohan mumbled. "But you kinda wouldn't be able to see anything."

"Uh? Why not?" piped up little Jake. Gohan smiled at the tiny boy.

"Well, I move so fast that the normal eye can't follow."

"Oohhhhh…" cooed both Jake and June, their big green eyes wide open.

"And I can shoot energy blasts with my hands too, you know," Gohan added, entertaining the kids. "Look."

He turned his palm upwards and formed a ball of energy. Everyone at the table stared at the bright, white, football-sized _ki_ ball floating in his hand. Well, except for Bulma who merely watched it with interest – she was long used to that kind of display.

"So cool," Gordon mumbled.

Gohan let his energy dissipate and smiled at his audience. "You know, technically anyone could learn how to do that kind of thing."

"You're kidding," Fred said, his eyes wide.

Gohan tried to push down his annoyance at the slightly older man and kept smiling. "Nope. A lot of my dad's friends could do pretty much everything I can do, and they were one hundred percent human."

"So you could technically teach anyone to do that kind of stuff?" Fred asked eagerly.

"Actually," Bulma butted in, sipping lazily on her coffee. "Only martial artists can master all that _ki_ stuff, right?"

Gohan chuckled. "Yeah, that's why I said 'technically'."

"But if, like, I trained and stuff, I would be able to do all that too, right?" Fred asked.

"Theoretically, yes," the half-Saiyan confirmed.

"Man, that would be awesome," the blond sighed dreamily, leaning back in his chair. "I really need to learn martial arts."

 _Don't count on me to teach you,_ Gohan couldn't help thinking. He knew he shouldn't be so bitter at that guy, but really he just hated his guts. The fact that if Gohan were out of the picture, Fred wouldn't think twice about going after Videl enraged him so much. He wanted nothing more than to bash that blond head of his in the pavement over and over again.

He hated getting so jealous.

ooOoo

The energy ray shot out his finger and pierced the graying man's heart, killing him on the spot. 17 smirked, blowing his index like one would a fuming barrel after firing a bullet.

"Nice shot," 18 nodded in appreciation. She smirked at the bunch of losers cowering in the corner of the living room. "Anyone else got anything to say?" They all shook their heads vigorously. "Good. You," she pointed at a woman who looked like the matriarch of the household, and they all jumped in fear. "Go make us something good to eat."

"I feel like pork chops," 17 added, collapsing in a luxurious armchair and leaning back into it. "And rice. I don't know why."

18 grinned, her cold, metallic blue eyes shining in devious mirth. "Maybe you miss a certain rice boy. We haven't slapped him around in a while."

"Heh, maybe."

The woman had rushed off to the kitchen, followed by three young girls. 18 let them, figuring that the food would get there quicker if more people were cooking. A teenage boy and his younger brother remained, along with a man that was most likely their father, and an old woman who was probably the wife of the man 17 just killed. The grandmother, no doubt.

It was the kind of fun the twins got into between city attacks. They would find a wealthy house and terrorize the people living in it, forcing them to serve them until it got boring. And then move on to the next one. It was a fun way to pass the time, and it also gave them a break from the annoying pair of superhero wannabes, since killing only a few people at a time wouldn't attract their acute senses. Sure, the cyborgs enjoyed beating them up and toying around with them, but sometimes they were just getting in the way of their fun. They should consider themselves lucky that they proved to be entertaining enough, otherwise 17 and 18 would've long killed them off like those other fighters.

Sometimes, 17 regretted finishing off that Super Saiyan on the day Dr Gero activated them. Vegeta, was it? He'd kept raging on about being a prince and an elite warrior. Trunks' father, in any case. That Saiyan had had the potential to become a great toy; he'd been so easily ticked off too. It was such a shame that he'd been among the first to face them; 17 and 18 had been too eager to test their new powers to think about holding back at the time.

Sparing Gohan's life certainly hadn't been a mistake. Even killing those disgusting humans could get boring at times, and Gohan was the perfect distraction. Trunks wasn't quite strong enough to measure up to them just yet, but in a few years things should get a lot more interesting.

17 frowned, thinking back to their last encounter. That weapon could have been actually dangerous for them, and such a thing was unacceptable. Since he destroyed the one Trunks used, 17 didn't think another one existed – that kind of technology was quite hard to come by. Of course, only Trunks' mother, the one and only Bulma Briefs, had the genius and skills to build something so dangerous. He and his sister had thought of attacking West City just out of spite, but they were saving that metropolis for a very special occasion. An evil smirk formed on the cyborgs' lips. He almost couldn't wait, but he and 18 couldn't rush into it. They would end up with no more toys to play with if they obliterated the world too quickly. Everything would come in time.

"So," 18 wondered with a lazy look on her face, her gaze sweeping back and forth at the cowering family. "Who should die next?" She smirked. "See how nice I am? I'm even letting you choose."

"You're _way_ too nice, sis," 17 confirmed, chuckling. "I would kill that boy over there first if I were you. Little kids shouldn't watch gruesome scenes, everyone knows that."

"Oh. Good point."

Her arm shot out at the poor boy's neck and not even a millisecond later a sickening _craack_ sounded. The lifeless body of the child dropped to the floor like a rag doll, and the rest of the family looked too shocked to react right away.

Tears gathered in the teenage boy's eyes, and he clenched his fists and gritted his teeth, visibly trying as hard as he could not to break down in front of them.

"Charlie…" the father choked out, falling to his knees. The old woman buried her face in her hands and her shoulders shook violently as she tried to stifle her sobs.

18 rolled her eyes. She was tempted to just blast them all off right now – but that would be way too easy. The cyborg needed to torment those repelling, inferior beings before they were to die. The mere idea of letting them off easy churned her stomach and made her want to puke. Those ugly little things didn't deserve any mercy.

Besides, they would be lousy as supervillains if they showed mercy. Now they couldn't have that, could they?

* * *

 _[Hope you liked this chapter! Please drop me a review to tell me what you think! :D By the way, my birthday was last Tuesday, so you know what to give me as a gift. ;) ]_

* * *

 _October 1, 2016_


	16. A Perfect Fit

_Chapter Sixteen: A Perfect Fit_

* * *

The evening sun felt nice on her skin. Videl smiled as she watched the clouds stroll lazily through the darkening sky. Tints of yellowish orange and purple-ish blue painted the fluffy white shapes. A chilly breeze danced around her and Videl shivered slightly, hugging her cropped leather jacket close around herself. Still, despite the temperature dropping slowly and surely, Videl enjoyed this moment of peace out in the forest, sitting on the grass and looking up at the sky. It was a pleasant break from training – from everything, really. Out there in the woods, she felt like she was alone in the world, like nothing was ever going to bother and nag her again.

She closed her eyes and sighed heavily, rubbing her sore neck and shoulders. Last night could have gone better. While she wouldn't say it had been a complete disaster, Videl wished Chichi hadn't brought up the subject of her and Gohan having kids.

When they got back at his place after that, Videl had been restless. She couldn't help cursing the woman for getting that idea into Gohan's head. What if he did want to have a baby with her now? What if he eventually asked her? What was she supposed to tell him, then? Could she ever dare crush his hopes and tell him the truth?

Her heart had clenched as the image of Gohan playing with Jake and June flashed through her head. Of course Gohan would want children – and if the world weren't so fucked up, Videl would have loved to start a family with him, too. But now? How could anyone even think of bringing a new, innocent life into this horrible world? How selfish did one have to be to have children in such a destroyed environment? Videl honestly couldn't understand how anyone could even think of having kids in these terrible times – and yet it didn't seem to stop most people. She really didn't get it.

As they got inside the sturdy, wooden house, Gohan heaved a deep sigh and looked at her with a wistful smile. Videl feared what it meant. Was he thinking about what his mother had said? She swallowed, biting down on her lip.

"What a night, huh?" he chuckled tiredly, collapsing on the couch. He sighed again and ran his hand through his hair. His gaze lingered on her, and something changed in the shine of his onyx eyes. He motioned her towards him. "Come closer."

Videl did as she was told, and Gohan made her sit on his lap, nuzzling her neck. She felt her skin tingle.

"Thank you so much for tonight, Videl," he murmured. "I know it wasn't easy, but you have no idea what it means to me that you went through with it for me."

"Well, don't start making a habit out of this," she tried to scold him, but her voice came out hushed and much softer than she intended. "And don't think you can make me do anything you want just because you're the hottest man alive."

He chuckled against her neck. "I'm the hottest man alive?"

"Don't play dumb," she muttered, getting a bit flustered from her choice of words. "You know how much you affect me, and you used that card to get what you want. Don't do that again."

He blushed slightly. "It was fun though."

She chuckled, wrapping her arms around his neck. "It's always fun, but that's beside the point."

Gohan raised his head to look at her, and Videl felt her heart miss a beat from the way he was staring into her eyes. His own were shining with such unrestrained love, and for a moment, Videl wished she could allow him to say it to her. She wished she could hear him tell her he loved her.

"I promise…" he started and grinned. "I promise I'll only use that card unless I absolutely have to."

She mock-glared at him. "I said never." His grin widened. Videl's eyes softened and she smiled back at him, leaning in to kiss his lips softly. He moaned slightly in delight, as though he was eating something exceedingly delicious.

"We'll see, then," he whispered breathlessly against her lips.

Videl rolled her eyes playfully, and Gohan chuckled, tightening his arms around her. He rubbed his nose on hers and Videl giggled slightly. He grinned, stroking her cheek.

"Never leave me, okay?"

Her heart jolted in both delight and dread at his request. While she wanted nothing more than to promise him she would always stay with him, the possibility of having to end their happiness was still looming over her, preventing her from letting go completely, from letting him in without any restraint. Preventing her from allowing Gohan to tell her he loved her.

"I…"

He must have felt her hesitation. The light in his eyes dimmed and his smile turned sad and resigned. "I'm sorry. I know you're still struggling about us." He kissed her cheek. "But I know you'll come around," he continued in a whisper, his breath brushing her ear. "You need me too much. I know you'll give in to me completely soon enough."

"Confident much?" she smirked.

"Tell me I'm wrong, then," he grinned at her, pressing his forehead against hers, his large, calloused hand stroking her cheek tenderly. "I dare you."

She flushed brightly, and there was nothing she could do to stop the flood of blood in her face. Videl didn't know why she felt so flustered all of a sudden – there was just something about Gohan's confidence that was incredibly… sexy.

Oh, he was the hottest man alive all right.

"We'll see, I guess," she breathed out, feeling her love for him flutter madly in her chest.

Looking into his playful, beautiful eyes, Videl felt her heart clench dreadfully as she was reminded of Chichi's request. If only she could give him what he wanted. In truth, that was all Videl ever wished. She _died_ to tell him she loved him, she _wanted_ to marry him, she _ached_ to promise him that she would stay with him no matter what. She wished she could believe in him, in a better future – one where she and Gohan lived together in this house, one where she didn't have the sinking feeling that this wasn't meant to last. A future where she could become his wife, the mother of his children. If her recurrent dream was any indication – this was all she ever wanted.

"What is it?" he asked her softly, sensing her internal struggle. His hand slid down her jaw and massaged her neck. "What's wrong?"

His gentle, loving eyes were just too much all of a sudden, and Videl had to look away. She closed her eyes painfully.

"I'm just… I just wish… I…" She swallowed. "I wish I could give you everything you want. I wish… I wish I wasn't so fucking terrified all the time."

"Hey, hey," he whispered softly, pressing his forehead to hers, cupping her face with both hands. "Don't beat yourself up because you're not quite there yet. It'll come, don't worry. I know it will, and then we'll be even happier together."

"Yeah?" she murmured hoarsely, holding him tightly around his neck.

"Mhmm," he confirmed. "And I'll wait for as long as you need, even if it takes years." He tucked her longer strands framing her face behind her hair, and Videl felt her heart swell with warmth at his tender touch. "My God, you're so beautiful…" he whispered breathlessly.

She opened her eyes and saw him look at her as if this was the first time. His lips were parted and his face was flushed, and his breathtaking, pitch black eyes were telling her so much. She was positive hers were saying it right back to him.

She kissed him desperately, devouring his lips as if this was the last time. She imprinted his taste, his scent, the feel of him – she carved it into her soul, making sure she would never forget what it felt like to be touched by the most beautiful man she would ever know.

"Someday…" he murmured, his lips barely millimeters from hers. "I'll save the world, I promise you. For you. For us. For the family I hope we'll have."

His voice had lowered to the point where she almost didn't hear his last sentence. Almost.

Her heart tightened. What was she supposed to say to that? Now it was clear that Gohan was very much hoping they would have kids someday, and although she wanted to believe he could actually kill the cyborgs, she had lost all hope a long time ago. And even Gohan hadn't been able to bring it back to her. To her, the world was doomed.

 _They_ were doomed.

She kissed him again, pushing him to lie back on the cushions. She straddled him and felt his erection come alive, pressed up against her crotch. She cupped his face and deepened the kiss, slowly, savoring the delectable sensations that only he could bring her. His powerful arms wrapped around her. Videl detached from his mouth, looking down at him through the eyelashes of her half-lidded eyes.

The forbidden words almost escaped her lips. Almost.

He smiled at her. As though he'd read her mind. As though he heard the words she bit back.

"I know," he murmured, stroking her cheek tenderly. "I know…"

A desperate urgency suddenly took over her. Videl snapped his shirt open, popping out all the buttons, and started kissing his magnificent chest. He was truly a work of art, that man. She licked his scar just above his heart. Gohan's breath hitched. Her hands ran down his delicious abs, and she flicked his left nipple with her tongue. He groaned in response, suddenly grabbing her hips and pulling her all against him, rubbing his hard-on between her legs. Videl responded by licking every bulge and crevice of his muscles, slowly moving lower and lower. She unbuckled his belt and opened his dress pants before eagerly digging her hand inside his boxers. Gohan gasped and bucked his hips, his chest heaving deeply. She smirked against his luscious skin, looking up at him. His head was thrown back and he rasped and moaned and groaned as she continued touching him.

She paused her ministrations and pulled down his pants and underwear, leaving them down to his knees. Videl stared at his erect penis, her chest heaving. Then she opened her mouth and took his length all the way to her throat. Gohan's legs trembled and he chortled out a moan. She let up slightly and sucked hard, enjoying the noises coming out of her adorable boyfriend. She ran her tongue around, along, over his stiff member, her head bobbing back and forth as she worked on him.

There was something incredibly empowering about turning a man so unbelievably strong into a mess of moans and groans of ecstasy. She loved pleasuring him, she loved driving him mad with desire and urgency. She also loved when he would suddenly get bold and take control – she'd noticed that he preferred being on top – but this time it was her turn to take charge. She knew he didn't mind.

Gohan bucked his hips and let out a long groan as she sucked on his dick as hard as she could.

Yep. He definitely didn't mind.

While Videl wished she could keep going until he cummed in her mouth, her groin was burning to feel him inside of her. She let go of his bursting erection with a _pop_ and wiped and licked her mouth, and then she straddled his hips and rubbed herself against his stiff cock.

Man, she wished she wasn't wearing tights. Videl felt like ripping them off, but since they were Delia's, the young woman refrained from listening to her urges and started taking off her sweater instead. She reveled in the way Gohan stared at her as she undressed. She smirked as she unhooked her bra and Gohan's gaze got glued to her bare breasts. He cupped them in his palms; they were big enough that they barely fit into his large hands. Sometimes Videl wished they were smaller because they were such a pain, bouncing around while she was fighting. This was not one of those times.

As Gohan busied himself groping her chest, Videl pulled down the zipper on the side of her skirt and pulled it over her head, as it would have been more complicated to kick it off in their current position. Her breath hitched when he pinched her nipples, and their gazes met again.

"You're so beautiful," he whispered hoarsely, his intense eyes boring into hers. "You're so perfect."

She smiled and leaned over to kiss him. "That's my line," she breathed into his mouth.

Gohan chuckled against her lips, before pushing her back to the other side of the couch, kicking off his pants that had been pooling around his knees, and lay on top of her. Videl smirked, reflecting her earlier thoughts; Gohan always ended up getting the top, one way or another. And she didn't mind one bit.

He let go of her breasts to grab the hem of her opaque tights.

"Careful," she murmured breathlessly. "They're not mine."

He smiled at her, his eyes so adoring and gentle, Videl felt herself melt all over his couch. "I can't believe you got all dressed up for me." He started pulling down her tights, slowly moving them down her thighs.

She pouted slightly. "Don't expect me to do that again anytime soon."

"That's too bad," he said, not breaking eye contact as he slid the tights along her calves, slowly pulling them off her feet, one by one. "You looked so breathtaking in that outfit. I'd love to see you dressed like that more often."

"Yeah, well, it's just not me."

He just smiled, and finally, her tights were off; Videl reached to pull down her panties but Gohan shook his head and moved her hands out of the way before grabbing the hem himself, just where her hands had been. Once again, he slowly slid the undergarment off legs, taking his sweet time. She wanted to scream in frustration. She wanted him _inside_ of her already, damn it!

"Would you hurry up and fuck me already?" she snapped impatiently. Gohan grinned.

"I like to take my time with you," he explained, his eyes shining with mirth. "Is that so bad?"

She rolled her eyes and kicked off her panties. Gohan laughed. "You're always so impatient, Videl."

"Well, whose fault is that," she heaved accusingly, narrowing her eyes at him as she pulled him all against her, wrapping her legs around his midsection. "Just fuck me already." His erection rubbed against her warm, wet lower lips and they both moaned at the sensation. Videl bit down on her lip when his rock hard dick rubbed her clitoris. She buried her nose in the crook of his neck and wrapped her arms around it. "Oh Gohan, I can't take it anymore. I need you so much."

He kissed her lips softly, "That's my line."

She kissed him back deeply. "Shut up and fuck me, Gohan."

He grinned against her lips; his erection was still teasing her entrance. "That's exactly what you said before you stole my virginity. Remember?"

She flushed, pulling back slightly to look away in embarrassment. "How can you remember something like that?" she muttered.

He suddenly shoved his stiff, twitching cock all the way inside of her and Videl let out an embarrassing squeak of surprise. He kissed her lips avidly and muffled both of their moans and groans of pleasures. And then he murmured against her lips,

"I remember everything. All of it, from the very beginning." He moved his lips to her neck and ravished her skin, before kissing his way up and breathing into her ear. "All of it, to the last detail. Always."

It was too much. The feeling of him making her whole again, his words, his tenderness… It was all too much to take. Videl felt a few tears escape from her closed eyes and roll down her temples, getting lost into her braided hair.

She bit down on her lips, almost blurting out that she loved him. God, she loved him so fucking much. How was it even possible to feel so much love for someone?

He smiled as he raised his head to look at her, but then he frowned as he saw her crying. He suddenly stopped moving. "What's wrong? Did I hurt you? Are you okay?" he asked in panic and worry, his eyes searching hers desperately.

Videl laughed through the tears. "Don't stop, you idiot. I'm _happy_."

He beamed down at her and crushed his lips onto hers, his hands moving to her hips as he picked up where he left off, stifling her moans of satisfaction. She tightened her legs around his midsection and rocked her pelvis in rhythm, meeting his deep and hard thrusts eagerly.

The sky had gone dark and a few stars had started to come out here and there. Videl felt her body heat up, especially her nether regions, as she reminisced last night with Gohan. Sometimes, she simply couldn't get over how _fucking amazing_ sex with him was. She'd never even remotely felt anything like that before, not even close. Truly, no man would ever compare to Gohan. She honestly believed that she would definitely die alone if she and Gohan didn't work out. How could she ever replace him? She couldn't, it was as simple as that. Gohan was the only one for her, and if it wasn't him, then it would be no one else. Ever.

She lay down on the grass and bit down on her lips, rubbing her thighs together. Damn it, she'd made herself horny again by thinking about Gohan. The good thing about being out in the woods was that there was nobody around from miles away, so Videl didn't think twice as she undid her belt and unzipped her pants before diving her hands inside her panties, rubbing her soaked clitoris. She moaned, shutting her eyes tightly as images of last night rushed to her. She pictured Gohan on top of her again and thrusting into her hard, his heavy breaths brushing her lips as he stared at her with such intensity, her knees felt weak.

She pushed three fingers inside of her and bucked her lips, crying out Gohan's name. She remembered how he'd groped her breasts while he pounded her. "Yes…" she moaned – much like last night. "Fuck, Gohan… Fuck me…"

It so happened that the man she was fantasizing about had come to pick her up so they could have dinner together. When Gohan came upon the scene, he didn't even dare land. He hovered by the trees and stared – his face flushed, his palms sweaty, his throat dry, his body burning up – as Videl touched herself and cried out his name.

As his pants grew increasingly tighter, Gohan found himself dropping down, and landed by the most delicious, beautiful young woman in the world. Her eyes were tightly shut so she didn't notice, and Gohan felt a smirk form on his lips as he watched her. He started taking off his top, careful not to make too much noise so as not to attract Videl's attention.

"Oh, fuck me, Gohan!"

His smirk widened, and he kneeled down beside her. "With pleasure," he whispered in her ear; Videl shot her eyes open and stared at him in shock, but Gohan didn't give her the time to react. He moved on top of her and kissed her urgently, muffling her moan of surprise and delight. He pushed her trousers and panties down to her knees, opened her jacket, lifted her shirt over her breasts, and undid the clasp on the front of her sports bra. Then he detached his mouth from hers and smirked at her as he grabbed her plush mound and fondled her roughly. Videl was staring at him, heaving hard, a lost and confused yet lustful look in the half-lidded eyes. She moaned when he pinched her nipple, and Gohan's smirk widened. He swatted her hand out of the way and then thrust his already rock hard penis deep inside her tight and slippery walls, his spare hand gripping her ass to guide her to him. He let out a sigh of content at the feeling. Good gods, she felt delicious.

"Wha… What the fuck, Gohan," she gritted out before throwing her head back and moaning loudly.

"I came to… pick you up… and see you… calling for me," he panted, grabbing her hips with both hands as he increased the pace. "What else was I supposed to do?"

"A little warning… couldn't have hurt!" she glared at him through half-lidded eyes. Gohan's smirk widened and he rolled his hips, making her grip his back and dig her nails into his skin. "Fuck, Gohan – _harder_."

He kissed her hungrily, his grip on her hips tightening as he did as he was told, her moans and gasps of pleasure stifled against his delectable lips.

Honestly, with Videl he just couldn't help himself. She was so beautiful and sexy and just _breathtaking_ , Gohan would have spent all of his time making love to her if it were up to him. They would probably end up starving because he just wouldn't stop ravishing her body and devouring her lips and her skin and claiming her as his, over and over again, so he figured that it wasn't such a bad thing that they both had other responsibilities.

He hissed as he felt her tight walls quiver and twitch around him, but kept thrusting hard through her orgasm. He kissed her again and again, his fingers digging into her ass as he hammered into her. She screamed in ecstasy into his mouth. He smirked when she pulled back from the kiss and threw her head back, rocking her hips vigorously to meet his eager thrusts. She jerked her head from side to side and grabbed his ass, biting down on her lip to stifle more moans, begging to come out.

God, she was so gorgeous. How did he end up with such an exquisite girlfriend? He buried his nose in the crook of her neck and breathed her in. She was so intoxicating. What was he ever going to do if she ever left his side? How could he get on with his life without ever feeling this kind of intimacy, of complicity, of mindblowing ecstasy, ever again? He just couldn't live on without her; his life would have no meaning. He was nothing without her – she was his other half, and only with her could he ever feel complete again. She was the love of his life – his heart, his soulmate. She was his life. Without her, he might as well be dead. Without her, his heart would never beat again. It would just be a dry, useless thing in his chest.

He was dying to whisper in her ear that he loved her, but Gohan forced the words down and ravished her delicious skin instead. She smelled so good…

He smirked when she cried out his name again as she came once more; his body jerked and Gohan climaxed with her, feeling the pleasure explode like fireworks into the sky. And then, for just a moment, everything made perfect sense.

ooOoo

Trunks loved those times he got to be alone with Gohan. Gohan was his best friend, his big brother, his hero, and frankly, his favorite person in the world. Gohan was that amazing kind big brother whom Trunks was lucky enough to have in his life.

And recently, seeing Gohan grin all the time and just be so _happy_ made Trunks so hopeful for the future. If his friend could find happiness in their crappy world, then it didn't have to be so bad. They could always find good things, even through the suffering and countless deaths. Gohan had Videl by his side now, and Trunks could feel that his mentor's _ki_ had been growing faster than ever. Just as he'd suspected, being with the girl he loved made Gohan more determined than ever to surpass himself. Because he trained so much and spent the rest of his spare time with Videl, his visits at the hospital had grown more scarce, but Trunks couldn't blame his friend. He was doing the best he could, and he did come visit him as much as possible. Gohan had even started working with his mother and Gordon on the time machine – it was a wonder he even had any time at all to give Trunks. The boy was grateful for those moments he got to spend with the best big brother anyone could ask for.

"You look a lot better," Gohan smiled.

"Yeah, I got the cast off my arm this morning," Trunks grinned proudly, waving his now healed left arm. "My legs are still in a pretty bad shape though. And some of my internal organs, too. The doctors told me they're gonna have to operate on me."

Gohan frowned. "I never liked going in surgery."

Trunks cracked a smile. "Yeah, tell me about it. But I'm not worried. I've been feeling pretty good lately – and besides, since I'm half Saiyan, the risk is pretty close to zero, right?" he finished with a broad grin.

"I guess," Gohan said softly, trying to hide the worry in his eyes with a smile.

"So I hear Videl's met your mom," Trunks smirked. "Getting pretty serious, aren't we?"

Gohan blushed and let out an awkward chuckle. "Heh heh, yeah. Things are going great between us." He cracked a smile, the light in his eyes shining with love and warmth. "Videl is my angel."

"Geez, sappy much?" Trunks rolled his eyes playfully.

"Wait until you fall in love." Gohan smirked, "I can't wait to see _you_ get all sappy too."

The injured boy scoffed. "Right. I'm not a hopeless romantic like you. Even if I _do_ fall in love someday, I'm sure I'm not going to get all corny and sappy like you."

Gohan laughed. He bumped his fist lightly on Trunks' forehead, who grinned back at him. "We'll just have to wait and see then, won't we?"

"What, you wanna bet on it?"

It was always so much fun hanging out with Gohan. Trunks couldn't have asked for a better big brother.

He was so happy to see Gohan like this. Finally, after pretty much a whole year of watching him mope and suffer, _finally_ , Gohan got the girl of his dreams and was, at long last, truly, genuinely happy. And Trunks couldn't have been more ecstatic for him. He hoped with all of his heart that the blissful grin glued to Gohan's face was never going away. Gohan deserved this, and Trunks needed him to stay happy. He would be crushed if Videl broke Gohan's heart again. It could never happen again. And if Trunks had to hunt down Videl and shake some sense into her, he was more ready to do that.

In the meantime, the boy enjoyed the company of his overjoyed friend. Things were finally looking up.

ooOoo

Bulma was coming up to Trunks' hospital room just when Gohan opened the door and walked out. She smiled and went up to him while he was closing the door. He saw her approaching and smiled back at her. Bulma motioned to the seats lining up the wall with her hand and Gohan nodded, and they sat down next to each other.

"Good news," the scientist started, "The adults arrive tomorrow."

Gohan quirked an eyebrow at her. "The adults?" A flash of realization crossed his eyes. "Oh! You mean the kids' parents!"

"Yep. They're already on their way and should get here in the morning. Do you want to come and meet them?" Bulma proposed.

Gohan shrugged and was about to accept the invitation, but he cut himself off before he even uttered a word and closed his mouth. He shifted uneasily in his seat and rubbed the back of his neck in a nervous habit. "Um… I don't want more people knowing about me…"

Bulma rolled her eyes. "They're going to be living with me and Trunks, Gohan, and I'm not going to sneak around in my own home. They might as well know the whole story."

The tall warrior crossed his arms and puckered out his lips in a pout. "There's too many people who know about me. I don't like that."

"Bah, at this point, a little more or a little less…" Bulma shrugged. "And you're the one who told everything to the kids, for that matter."

"Well, they put me on the spot. You know I don't do well in those situations…"

Bulma giggled, very much aware of Gohan's complete inability to straight out lie. It was quite endearing, but for the poor fighter it could become a real handicap, especially seeing as he was adamant on keeping his real identity a secret.

Seeing that Gohan was still reluctant about it, she patted his shoulder in a comforting way. "I know, kiddo, but they're going to live with me, and their kids already know. You wouldn't want to force them to lie to their own parents, would you?"

Gohan heaved a deep sigh and slumped his shoulders in defeat. "Of course not… I guess there's no way around it."

Bulma cracked a smile. "So you might as well be there to meet them and introduce yourself to them. You're bound to see them often from now on anyway."

He scratched his hair. "I guess so." Gohan sighed again. "What time should I drop by?"

"Not sure yet, but you should just come over for breakfast," Bulma smiled. "Oh, and bring Videl too."

He grimaced slightly. "I'm not saying yes before I talk to her, she wouldn't like that."

Bulma laughed. "Speaking from experience?"

Gohan gave an awkward chuckle, his cheeks reddening slightly as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Heh."

Her eyes softened. Bulma reached to run her fingers through his thick hair in an affectionate gesture. "You seem really happy. I'm glad."

His face lit up and he blushed in delight. "It's been going so well, I feel like I'm living in a dream. Videl is so… so…" he sighed dreamily, leaning back in his chair. "She's my life."

Bulma stroked his cheek lightly before removing her hand. "It's so nice seeing you like that, Gohan. I hope you stay that way."

"I'm optimistic," he smiled. "Videl is still insecure about us and she's scared for me, but we'll get through this, I know it. I know our love will be enough."

The blue-haired genius leaned back, the back of her head pressing against the wall behind her. "I'm envious, you know. I don't think I could fall in love so completely again."

"Why not?" he asked. "You're still young and beautiful. Any guy would be lucky to be with you."

She couldn't help but grin at him. "I know. But after Vegeta… After a love like this, how could I meet somebody else? Would _you_ be able to be with another woman after Videl?"

A deep frown creased his brow at that unpleasant thought. "No. Never."

Her smile dimmed in resignation. "See what I mean?"

His shoulders slumped slightly. "Yeah… If you loved Vegeta as much as I love Videl…" He shook his head. "Yeah, I totally get it."

She patted his head. "Have you been able to tell her yet?"

He cracked an awkward smile. "I keep almost slipping up. It's getting pretty bad."

Bulma laughed, her hand hovering before her mouth. "Just tell her, Gohan, I'm sure she won't blame you if you did. In fact, she might just say it back."

"I can't do that…" he sighed, running his hand through his hair, down to the back of his neck. "It's okay, I can wait. It's hard, but I can do it. The reward will be more than worth it."

His friend smirked and wriggled her eyebrows. "Oh?"

Gohan looked away, his face burning up. "Don't start now. I'm _not_ talking to you about _that_ again."

"I could just ask Videl," Bulma shrugged, chuckling evilly at the look of horror Gohan shot her. "She seems a lot more open than you. She's scaringly open about sex, actually. It's hilarious."

"No it's not," Gohan muttered in bad faith, crossing his arms with a pout. "Besides, why would you want to know about my sex life at all?"

"It sounds interesting, and I'm curious." Bulma chuckled. "Do you still do it all over the hospital?"

Gohan covered his beet-red face with both of his hands, leaning his elbows on his lap. "Bulmaaaaaa…"

She threw her head back and laughed heartily. Gohan didn't move, hoping the floor could swallow him so he didn't have to deal with the embarrassment. Why couldn't Bulma just leave it? His sex life was nobody's business but his and Videl's. Couldn't she see how mortifying it was to even mention it to her? She was like his mother, for God's sake!

"But I'm really curious about it, you know!" she uttered between laughs. "Maybe you two found some new locations since she told me about it last time?"

"Why don't you ask _her_?" he croaked out, still very much insistent on keeping his face hidden behind his hands. "For the love of God, Bulma, just leave me _out_ of it…"

She kept laughing. Gohan stood up and walked away, ignoring Bulma's mirthful attempt at holding him back. He'd had enough. If Bulma tried to embarrass him again, he would just up and leave again. He was tired of getting so red in the face, and he would rather get a limb cut off than talk about sex with his surrogate mother. _Ugh_.

ooOoo

Videl's eye twitched. She couldn't believe _that woman_ was right behind her in the cafeteria's waiting line again. And, oh joy, the redhead recognized her, and for some weird reason, her face lit up and she greeted Videl enthusiastically.

"You know her?" Fred asked her, standing beside her in the line.

The young fighter ignored him and narrowed her eyes at the doctor, who smiled awkwardly in return.

"So he's told you, huh?"

Fred frowned in confusion.

"Look, it was all a misunderstanding, okay? I misread the moment and acted on impulse," Jen explained. "It was wrong and I'm sorry. I had no idea Gohan already had someone."

Videl's face hardened. Her fists clenched. Who did that woman think she was? Why was she even speaking to her? Couldn't she see how _dangerous_ talking to her was right now? Videl was _this_ close to launching herself at her throat and throttling her mercilessly.

"Do me a favor," she hissed through gritted teeth. "Don't speak to me."

Fred blinked at the scene. Jen's face fell and her shoulders slumped. "Sorry," she muttered, before getting behind a few people in the line.

"That was harsh," he commented, eying Videl thoughtfully. "Did she make a pass at Gohan or something?"

Videl suddenly looked as though something just occurred to her. "Wait a minute…" She pushed her way through the back of the line to join up the red-haired doctor, who raised her eyebrows in surprise when she saw her come up to her. "How do you know his name? Gohan never gives it to his doctors."

"You have nothing to worry about," Jen assured her. "I'm not going to risk my career for a guy that's clearly not interested."

"Just answer the question," Videl spat in irritation. "Why did he give you his name?"

Jen sighed in resignation. "He told me a bit about himself while I was fixing him up. I guess he figured he could trust me with his name, too."

Videl felt her throat tighten. She swallowed. "What else did he tell you?" Her voice came out in a breathless whisper.

"Just that he's been fighting the cyborgs from the very beginning. He was there when they first appeared, and all of his dad's friends died." Jen frowned and looked to the side, as though she was trying to remember. "He said his mentor died protecting him, and that he was only nine years old when it all happened. Poor guy… I can't even begin to imagine what it must have been like for him…"

Her eyes felt hot and stingy, but Videl would be dead before she showed weakness in front of that doctor.

She couldn't believe Gohan would confide in that woman. Videl couldn't believe he never trusted _her_ with his story. Why tell a complete stranger and not the woman he was sharing his life with? Just _how_ did that kiss happen, for that matter? Had it really been a misunderstanding, did that doctor actually misread the situation? Or… Could Gohan have led her on?

"But I'm sure you know all of that already," Jen added with a kind smile.

Videl narrowed her eyes to slits. "Obviously," she lied.

She turned around and joined Fred at the head of the line, a deep scowl etched across her face. Couldn't that woman be a bitch? It just made things worse that she was so genuinely honest, because it made the possibility of Gohan liking her all the more plausible. Why would he settle for such a cruel woman as herself when Little Miss Perfect was just around the corner? Why _did_ Gohan choose her, for that matter? He was worth so much more, deserved so much better. Why her? She had such a rotten personality; why would he want to put up with her? He should just find himself a nice girl like that doctor, because Videl was anything but.

"What was that about?" Fred asked, as they walked to a table carrying their trays. He frowned when Videl sniffed softly. "Hey, what's wrong?" They sat at a table next to each other, and he put his hand on her shoulder.

"Gohan's a dick," she mumbled, rubbing her misty eyes. "He's told that bitch more than he ever told _me_ , and I'm supposed to be his _girlfriend_."

A thoughtful frown etched Fred's young features. He looked at Videl and spoke slowly, carefully choosing his words. "Sometimes, it's easier to talk about personal stuff with strangers, you know? You don't want to appear weak in front of the people you care about. That's why therapy's a thing, after all," he finished in a joking tone. To his delight, the tiniest smile appeared on Videl's beautiful face.

"I guess so. Thanks, Fred," she said, looking at him.

"So what happened with that doctor and Gohan?" he inquired, unable to repress his curiosity. He grabbed the burger in his hands and munched on it distractedly as he waited for the answer.

Videl stuck her fork in her chicken leg and tore off a big bite out of the meat, staring ahead of her as she chewed angrily. "She kissed him."

He raised his eyebrows. "Oh." Then he smirked. "If you want to get back at him, I'm available."

She rolled her eyes, but Fred grinned as he noticed the slight curve of her lips. "Are you ready to face the consequences?" she asked, looking at him sideways. "Gohan can be pretty jealous."

"I'm pretty sure you're worth it," he said, his grin widening.

"Well, then, too bad, because I'm not interested." Videl took a spoonful of rice.

He put his fist against his heart in an overdramatic way and let out a deep sigh. "You break my heart, my dear Videl."

Videl snorted out a laugh. "Sorry, not sorry."

"How mean."

"Yep," she grinned at him, before eating some more rice.

Truth be told, Videl really liked Fred. He was fun to hang out with and he made her laugh. She knew Fred would have loved to be more than friends, as he had shown just now, but Videl figured he would do well as a good friend instead. Although she'd made the decision a few years ago not to get involved with people again after her latest friends got killed, Gohan pretty much screwed up her plan already, so why not make some new friends while she was at it? Fred was a cool guy, and although he was obviously hoping for more, he would also never try anything with her as long as she was with Gohan. Besides, maybe with time he would learn to appreciate their friendship and stop flirting with her – that is, if they stayed friends long enough. Who knew what was going to happen, after all.

In the meantime, Videl enjoyed this newfound companionship.

She saw Gohan come through the swinging doors, but her face faltered at the flustered look on his face. He didn't even see her and just sat down in a secluded corner by a wide window and crossed his arms, obviously in a bad mood. A frown creasing her brow, Videl let Fred know she would be right back and stood up, walking over to the man who stole her heart.

She touched his shoulder and he looked up at her. A soft smile immediately relaxed his features as Videl sat down beside him. Gohan leaned towards her and wrapped his arms around her, resting the side of his head on her shoulder.

"Hey," he murmured.

She felt a warm smile form on her lips. "Hey, you," she said back in the same tone, running her hand through his thick, silky hair. She loved his hair, it was so soft, and spiky at the front. She wondered what it would look like if he let them grow a bit more. "Did something happen?"

"Bah. Who cares," he muttered, nuzzling her neck. Videl felt her chest heave more deeply, her skin tingling from his simple touch. "You're here now, and you're all that matters."

"I'm flattered," she said playfully, and Gohan chuckled against her skin, his breath tickling her.

"I've been thinking," he mumbled, his arms tightening around her. He tried to bring her closer, but their position, with each of them sitting on separate chairs, wasn't in his favor.

"Yeah?"

Gohan then lifted her slightly and sat her on his lap. "Ahh," he sighed into the crook of her neck, moving her left pigtail behind her. "Much better."

She chuckled. "Focus, Gohan," she reminded him. "You were thinking…?"

"Oh yeah. You know how I told you I'd make it up to you when you agreed to meet my mom? I figured out how I'm going to." He tightened his arms around her waist, and Videl wrapped hers around his neck, resting her cheek on the top of his head.

"Yeah?"

He started planting soft kisses against her tingly skin, and Videl felt her breath come short. Conscious of their surrounding, she shot a nervous glance around them. She was surprised that Gohan didn't seem to care that they were in a public place. He wouldn't be so effusive usually. She wondered if it was because something got him upset, and Videl was perplexed as to what could have happened while he'd gone to spend some time with Trunks.

"Would you like to learn how to control your _ki_?" he mumbled, breathing her in deeply. "Hmm, you smell so nice…"

Videl blinked. "Wait, what?" She tried to push him back slightly so she could look at him, but Gohan was adamant on staying right where he was, and tightened his hold around her. "Gohan…" she scolded.

"Just, for a little bit more," he pleaded, sighing against her skin. "I need you so much, I don't want to let go of you just yet."

"What happened, Gohan?"

"Nothing," he muttered in bad faith. "Bulma was just teasing me as usual."

Videl sighed. She closed her eyes and played with his hair distractedly. "What was it about that _ki_ stuff?"

"Right. Well, I've been thinking about training you for a while actually," he explained. Gohan untied her hair then, sliding down her hair bands one at a time. He sighed in content before burying his nose in her hair, breathing her in, while tangling one of his hand in her long tresses. "We can start whenever you want. I don't have a lot of free time but we'll work something out."

"You… training me?" she repeated slowly, processing what Gohan was offering her.

"Mhmm," he confirmed. "I can teach you how to use your _ki_ as attacks, and to fly, and to sense other people's _ki_ too." He tightened his arms around her again, nuzzling her neck. "I'd be more at ease if you knew how to do all of that stuff in case something happens."

Her breath was deepening, her chest heaving. She could barely comprehend what he was saying. "I could actually _fly_?" she murmured breathlessly.

He chuckled. "Is that all you got from what I just said?" At long last, Gohan raised his head to look at her, leaning his face so close their noses brushed. "Yes," he replied, stroking her cheek tenderly. "You could fly, and become so much stronger too. You could learn how to do everything I can."

He leaned in to kiss her lips ever so gently, and Videl felt a rush of adrenaline wash over her. She suddenly grabbed his face between her palms and deepened the kiss, shoving her tongue into his mouth to taste him more.

"When can we start?" she panted, pressing her forehead to his, keeping her eyes closed.

"I'm free now. You?"

She grinned in delight and claimed his mouth once more, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck. Gohan chuckled against her lips, and Videl felt something incredibly soft and warm and beautiful spread out from her chest and throughout her whole being – to the tip of her fingers and down to her toes.

It was becoming increasingly impossible to refrain herself from telling Gohan that she loved him.

Oh gods, she loved him so much. Videl felt like her heart was going to explode from her overflowing love for him.

With the tip of his fingers, Gohan brushed her bangs aside and tucked a few longer strands behind her ear, stroking her cheek with his thumb. That bastard certainly wasn't making things easier for her with how gently and tenderly he always touched her.

She considered going for it, right here, right now. Just say the hell with it and say it. She was certainly dying to – and hadn't she made Gohan wait enough? Hadn't she denied him his well-deserved declaration of love for long enough?

They pulled back from the kiss and breathed heavily. Videl smiled at him through half-lidded eyes.

This was it. It was coming out. The words were begging to burst out, and Videl was finally going to let them.

And then – nothing. Her breath was caught in her throat. Her voice had stopped working. Nothing was coming out.

"All right then, let's go," Gohan grinned, clearly oblivious to her internal turmoil. He stood up with her still in his arms, then let her to the floor, and bent over to kiss her lips once more. "I can't wait to see how strong you'll become as I train you."

Her smile turned wistful. Videl cupped his cheek and nodded. "Me too," she whispered breathlessly.

Maybe it wasn't the right time yet. Maybe she was simply not ready just yet, even though she wanted nothing more.

Gohan took her hand in his, so much bigger and rougher, and Videl felt a pang in her heart at gentle smile he was offering her.

Truly, she didn't deserve him. Gohan deserved someone who hadn't made him suffer so awfully much; he should be with someone who wouldn't forbid him from saying a simple "I love you."

Surely, that doctor would have been a better fit for him.

ooOoo

As excited as Videl had been when he'd offered to train her, now, for some reason, her head didn't seem to be into it. She had a natural feel of _ki_ and learning how to let it out in a ball of energy shouldn't be taking this long. Sitting cross-legged in front of him, Videl had been trying to conjure her _ki_ for hours now, but she was just getting increasingly frustrated at her lack of results.

"Okay, let's take a break," he decided, taking hold of her wrists. Videl scowled, clearly not satisfied with her slow progress. He smiled at her in encouragement. "You're new to this, Videl, it's only natural that it takes time at first. It'll go more smoothly once you get a hold of your _ki_."

She crossed her arms and puckered her lower lip out in a pout. "I just can't concentrate properly. Maybe that stuff's just too hard for me."

"Hey, now, don't say that." Gohan scooted closer to her on the grass and wrapped his arms around her waist, bringing her with him as he lay down on the green meadow. "Something's on your mind, I can tell. Do you want to talk about it?"

She didn't say anything in response, only snuggled up to him. Gohan tightened his arms around Videl; if comfort was what she needed, then he would be more than happy to provide. She didn't need to tell him anything if she didn't want to.

"I just don't get it," she muttered into his chest. He rubbed her back in comfort, his hand making circular motions against the fabric of her sweater.

"You will, don't worry. I know you can do it," he said confidently. But, apparently, he'd misunderstood what she meant.

"No, not that." Videl sighed, nuzzling his shirt. "What I don't get is…" She clutched his orange top, and her voice lowered to a hoarse whisper. "Why me? Why choose me when you deserve so much better?"

Gohan frowned. Now, how the hell did that thought even get into her mind? How could she even believe for one second that she wasn't good enough for him? Couldn't she see that she was the only one for him? How could she not get that?

"I don't think anyone better than you exist, and even if they did I wouldn't want them," he muttered into her hair, tightening his arms around her. "I chose you because you're my perfect fit. Because you make me happy." He lowered his voice and hoped it was okay to say what he was about to tell her next. "Because my heart chose you and I never had any say in it. Because you're the most beautiful person I've ever met."

He rolled her to her back to look deeply into her eyes. Tears had gathered in them, and Gohan offered her a gentle smile, cupping her cheek with his hand.

"You don't even know how amazing you are, do you?" he whispered. "You don't see what I see when I look at you." His eyes softened in such a way that Videl hiccupped and a few tears escaped her eyes, and Gohan brushed them away with the back of his fingers. "If you could see what I see, you'd never even question why it has to be you, and only you. Nobody else would ever do." He grinned. "See? It's so true it rhymed."

She snorted out a laugh and covered her mouth to stifle the sound. "You're so silly."

Gohan grinned proudly. Making Videl laugh was one of the best feelings in the world. He leaned over, his thumb stroking her cheek, and his nose brushed hers. He savored the way her breath hitched as he slowly closed the distance between them. His lips pressed against hers in the most tender way, and Gohan could actually _feel_ Videl melt into him.

"Wouldn't you have liked to be with someone nicer, though?" she panted as they pulled back slightly.

"You _are_ nice," he affirmed. "You just don't like to show it. But you can't fool me."

"I really can't, can I?" she breathed.

"Nope," he chuckled, and moved to lie down on top of her. He started lifting her sweater and unhooked her sports bra from the front. He looked down at her breasts for a few long moments, before looking up again and giving her a smirk. "I can see right through you."

"Well, I figure undressing me should make it easier," she laughed slightly.

He untied his belt and pressed his body all against hers, nuzzling her neck. He untied her hair and breathed in deeply, rubbing his hardening penis against her crotch. Feeling strangely impatient today, Gohan hastily opened the zipper of her jeans and gave them a sharp tug, bringing down her underwear with it. He just left her garments on her knees, grabbed his erection, and positioned himself at her entrance.

They shared a look. They were both heaving deeply. Gohan pushed himself inside her tight walls and let out a long groan. He pressed his forehead against hers; his left hand found her ass while the right cupped and fondled her uncovered breast. Videl moaned and cried out in delight as he made love to her, and Gohan felt himself lose the last remains of lucidity as he rediscovered Videl's luscious body.

"See," he panted into her ear, "you're my perfect fit."

Her breath hitched, and Gohan wasn't sure if it was because of the pleasure of their lovemaking or his words. She then grabbed his face and brought it to her, devouring his mouth avidly. Gohan squeezed her plush breast and picked up the pace, meeting Videl's hips in an urgent need. He started kissing her down her chin, to her neck, and then along her jawline, moving slowly towards her ear.

"Do you get it now?" he breathed, tugging it with his teeth.

"Y… Yes…" she moaned. "Oh God, yes… More. More! AH!"

He wasn't sure whether she was replying to him or just moaning, but Gohan decided to believe that it was the first option.

"Harder! Harder!"

He smirked, staring at the beautiful, flushed young woman beneath him, and grabbed her hips roughly with both of his hands, before doing as he was told. He relished the sight of her as he pounded her increasingly harder and faster. God, he loved how she made him feel. He felt his dick twitch inside of her. He was getting close…

"Oh, fuck me! Oh my fucking God, Gohan! Yes! Harder! Fuck me harder!"

She threw her head from side to side, and Gohan increased the already frenzied pace. His fingers dug into her skin and he gritted his teeth, determined to give Videl what she wanted.

And then he felt it – he cummed inside of her as her tight walls quivered and twitched uncontrollably and Videl screamed his name again. Gohan grunted and buried his nose in her hair, grazing his teeth against her neck as he came for a few more moments.

He was dizzy and tired and so comfy. He rubbed his nose along her jawline, and Videl sighed in bliss.

"Yeah," she murmured breathlessly, wrapping her arms around his neck. Gohan moved his around her to hold her close against him. "I'm your perfect fit."

He grinned.

* * *

 _[Hello! :D Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Lots of smut in this one... Maybe too much... NAH xD_

 _Anyway, I'd like to thank everyone for the reviews, and especially SilviaS7 who is finally catching up. ^^ Please do me a favor and go read her fanfic_ Illumination _, which is centered around Future Trunks, as well as_ Revitalized _, which is kinda a prequel about Gohan and Videl and LOTS of smutty goodness. c: And, of course, if you do, be so kind as to leave her reviews, especially on_ Illumination _. Poor Silv barely gets any. ._._

 _Don't forget to leave_ me _reviews too! I noticed a slight decrease of responses after my last update (pretty much half as less), but that's okay as long as you don't forget to tell me your thoughts this time. ^^_

 _See you next time! :D]_

* * *

 _October 8, 2016_


	17. A Man of His Word

_Chapter Seventeen: A Man of His Word_

* * *

Videl wasn't quite sure why she had to come along, to be honest, but since Gohan was meeting the parents and guardians of the kids, it wasn't a surprise that he asked her to go with him. He was shuffling his feet and rubbing the back of his neck last night when he asked her, and Videl had been unable to refuse – he was just too cute. How _was_ she ever going to be able to say no to him when she _actually_ needed to? It seemed as though she was the fool in their relationship. Gohan could have things go his way no matter how strongly she disagreed, and Videl didn't like that. She was normally so stubborn and had such a strong will – how could Gohan break it as easily as a twig? He always made her feel so helpless.

That _was_ how he somehow managed to win her over, after all.

Everyone was having breakfast in the big dining room at Capsule Corp. as they waited for the remaining guests to arrive. Excited chatters buzzed all around the wide, wooden, square table. Everyone seemed to have a good time. Videl simply listened and observed, and barely spoke, slowly eating her delicious pancakes with maple syrup. Her pace contrasted with Gohan's, who, although he ate cleanly and never spoke with his mouth full, was eagerly devouring his own, enormous serving of pancakes and pudding and bacon and eggs. Videl smiled as she turned to her left to look at him; her eyes softened and her chest filled with warmth and unconditional love. She still couldn't understand how it was even possible to love someone so completely, so overwhelmingly, so hopelessly – and yet, there she was, looking at her man with googly eyes and a dreamy smile on her lips.

He glanced at her, swallowing his mouthful, and grinned widely. Videl felt her heart ache, and she resisted the urge to lean over and kiss him, devouring his mouth as hungrily as he was wolfing down his breakfast.

The dread and constant worry for his life were still poking her in the back of her mind. It was somewhat strange that the cyborgs hadn't attacked any city since that weapon had failed to finish them off. Not that Videl was complaining. She was so glad Gohan hadn't had to fight again for the past several weeks. She had no idea as to why the cyborgs were apparently taking a break from destroying the world – maybe they were worried Bulma had another weapon – but Videl sure hoped this was going to last for as long as possible.

She knew that was just wishful thinking, though, and that Gohan was bound to face those overpowered bastards again. But Gohan should keep his promise and only fight them as much as necessary to save as many lives as possible, and that would be it, right? Honesty was in Gohan's nature, so, surely, he was going to do as he promised her, wasn't he? She still worried, but the thought that she had his word was reassuring. As it was now, Videl felt like she was advancing blindfolded, and hoped for the best.

A constant beeping sounded from the far end of the table, and everything went quiet as the table turned to look at Bulma in expectation. The blue-haired genius smiled at the curious faces, before pressing a button on her watch.

"This is Bulma Briefs," she spoke into it. "Did you get here safely?"

"Erm, hello," a male voice answered slowly from Bulma's communicator. "I'm Joachim, Fye's dad."

"Hi, Dad!" Fye called out, grinning.

The man on the other end of the line gave a low chuckle. "Hey, kid. Anyway, we've just landed by the CC building. The trip was long, but everything went well." By the sound of his voice, Videl could tell that his earlier nervosity was gone, clearly thanks to his son's cheerful greeting.

Bulma chuckled. "Excellent." She tapped her fingers on the small, square screen of her watch, and everyone looked on with interest. "I've opened the gate for you guys. I'm coming right up to meet you."

She ended the call and stood, and in the same movement almost all the chairs creaked as the teens got up as well. Bulma waved them off. "No need to come too. Keep eating; I'll be right back with your parents."

A thoughtful frown creased Gohan's brow as he watched Bulma leave the dining room, chewing slowly on his piece of toast. Videl watched him curiously.

"What's the matter?" she asked, tilting her head to the side, trying to catch his gaze.

Gohan turned to her, still frowning, and didn't reply for a few moments, finishing up his mouthful and swallowing audibly. He dabbed his mouth with a napkin. "Bulma wants me to introduce myself to them," he explained. "And I mean, the _real_ me."

Videl raised her eyebrows. "So that's why you came to meet them?"

He nodded, looking down at his plate, his facial muscles still not relaxing. "She said she's not going to keep my identity a secret since they're going to live with her and Trunks, and that I might as well just tell them myself."

"Well," Videl said slowly, before taking a sip of her cup of coffee. "She's not wrong. And the kids already know anyway. Does it even matter?"

His frown deepened as he turned his coal eyes back to her. "I don't like that so many people know about me."

"Why not? The whole world knows you exist and look up to you, what does it matter that they know your name?"

He leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms, his lower lip puckering out. Videl couldn't help but smile at his adorable pout.

"I don't like the attention," he muttered.

She snorted in amusement. "You're the only man capable of facing the cyborgs. How do you expect not getting attention for that?"

"I was doing fine before Trunks told his friends."

"But you told me," she reminded him. The memory made Gohan crack a small smile. "And you didn't even know me when you did."

His eyes softened. He moved closer and reached over, stroking her cheek with the back of his fingers. "I took a chance, and I don't regret it," he murmured, his pitch black eyes boring into hers. Videl felt her breath come short. His smile widened. "Besides, it's not like you told anyone." He frowned again and sighed. "But now, a whole bunch of people I don't even know are going to know about me."

He took back his hand from her cheek, but Videl grabbed it and held it, playing with his much larger fingers. "Is it really such a bad thing? Why are you so intent on staying anonymous, for that matter?" she inquired curiously, slowly intertwining her fingers with his. "Don't you think it'd give people more hope if they knew who was their only chance at bringing back the peace?"

"I just value my privacy. I don't need people knowing who I am to save the world."

"I guess so," she smiled, and her chest filled with warmth when Gohan couldn't help smiling back at her, his beautiful eyes showering her with love. "But it's just a few more people. Surely you can handle that, mister superhero, can't you?"

"If you're by my side," he said softly, bringing her hand to him and pressing his lips on her slender fingers, never taking his eyes off of her. "If you're with me, I can do anything."

She blushed and rolled her eyes in an attempt to hide how flustered his words were making her feel. "There you go."

Gohan chuckled lightly, then leaned closer to whisper in her ear, "You know that thing I'm not supposed to tell you?"

Her mouth was suddenly dry and her heart gave a loud thump. "What about it?" she whispered back, feeling breathless.

He pulled back slightly to look at her, a playful grin on his adorable face. "Well, _that_."

His eyes watched her seriously all of a sudden, and Videl felt like she was about to burst. Her face was blazing with fire and her heart was pounding against her chest like crazy. That bastard. He was always cheating his way in, telling her that he loved her without saying the words.

"Stop doing that," she muttered, averting her gaze as she let go of his hand.

Her throat tightened as a crazy thought crossed her mind, glancing at him out of the corner of her eyes. How would he react if _she_ told him, right then, right there? The more she looked at his beautiful, gentle eyes, the harder it was getting to hold the words back.

She loved him _so unbelievably much_. She was _dying_ to tell him.

He kissed her cheek. "Sorry," he murmured.

Videl turned to him, and Gohan offered her a gentle, wistful smile. Her heart clenched. She bit down on her lip. She wished she could just let go. She wanted to tell him so badly how much he meant to her, and she craved to hear him say he loved her.

She smiled back at him, but her heart felt heavy. "It's okay." She reached over to stroke his cheek; her voice lowered to a whisper. "Maybe, soon enough, I'll be ready to let you say it to me."

He closed his eyes, leaning into her palm. "I can't wait..."

She chuckled. "I noticed."

Gohan opened his eyes and grinned at her. Videl looked behind her, at the open double doors where Bulma had walked through.

"You know, if you don't want to meet them now, we could just go." She smirked at him; Gohan raised his eyebrows. "I mean, it's not like you even have to meet them if you don't want to. They don't need to see you to know who you are."

Gohan cracked a nervous smile, shooting a glance at the entrance of the dining room. "Bulma isn't going to be happy…"

Videl grinned and rolled her eyes. "Who cares? Let's go before she comes back."

He was still hesitating but looked very much tempted to say yes, so Videl figured she might as well make the decision for him. She grabbed his hand and got up, and Gohan let her pull him up. She turned to the teenagers around the table who looked up at the sound of the creaking of their chairs.

"Well, it was nice seeing you all, but Gohan and I made plans, so we're going to head out," she announced with a bright smile, already pulling Gohan away and towards the wide open double doors. "We'll meet your folks another time," she called over her shoulder. "See ya!"

She was laughing with him as they ran together along the endless hallways of Capsule Corp. Gohan was using his _ki_ -sensing ability to make sure they wouldn't cross Bulma on their way out, and before long the lovesick couple was out in the morning air. Gohan picked Videl up and held her close before taking off to the sky.

"Since we have the morning off," he started, grinning at her. "How about we continue where we left off yesterday?"

She smirked playfully. "You really can't get enough of me, huh?"

Gohan flushed and stammered in an attempt to explain himself, and Videl threw her head back and laughed. He started pouting, only getting now that she was just teasing him, but his expression quickly softened as he gazed upon her. Her beautiful laugh was worth everything.

"I really can't," he sighed in resignation. Videl looked at him, her gorgeous blue eyes beaming with mirth and joy, and Gohan felt his heart sting.

He kissed her, and as he let the incredible sensations wash over him, savoring the feeling of Videl's tongue caressing his, Gohan made a mental note not to get distracted this time. Training Videl was essential to her survival. He needed her to become stronger, to be capable of saving herself in case he couldn't – and as much as he needed _her_ , he couldn't let the lust and love he felt for her get in the way of her training.

"I know you meant training me," she grinned at him through half-lidded eyes, pressing her forehead against his, her hand cupping his cheek. "It's just too tempting to tease you."

He smiled back. "I noticed."

Gohan started flying down and landed gently on the grassy meadow, not too far from his house. He put Videl down, and as she smiled up at him Gohan felt the urge to bend down and kiss her again – but he clenched his fists and forced himself to look away.

"All right, let's get started," he said firmly, taking a few steps before sitting down cross-legged and motioning to Videl to sit down in front of him. "And this time, no distractions."

She smirked as she walked closer, and sat on his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck. "If you say that, I'll just be more tempted to do the opposite," she whispered in his ear.

Gohan let out a shaky breath, trying to ignore the skilled lips and tongue on his neck. "Videl…" He sighed again, his skin tingling from her ministrations. He was itching to just push her down, tear off her clothes and claim her as his. He swallowed. "Don't you want to learn how to fly?"

She chuckled, her breath tickling his ear. "Okay, okay," she relented. She moved from his lap to sit in front of him, tucking her legs under her. "No distractions."

Gohan looked sideways, running his hand over the back of his neck. His face was still burning like a wildfire, and his heart was barely calming down – same for his crotch area, for that matter. It was crazy how much Videl could affect him. He wondered if the spark would ever fade with time, as he heard it happened to most married couples, but Gohan honestly doubted it could ever happen to him and Videl. He was convinced that even years from now, when they would be all gray and wrinkled and frail, the simplest touch from her could still light his whole body on fire.

Assuming they survived long enough to grow old together…

Gohan had never wanted something so much in his life.

He heaved a deep sigh, his shoulders hunching. "All right then." Gohan shook his head to clear his thoughts and focused his serious eyes on his new student. "Try to bring out your _ki_ again," he instructed. "Let me know if you need any help."

Videl frowned in concentration, determined to do better than yesterday. She cupped her hands in front of her and stared at them intensely, searching for her own life force.

Gohan watched her carefully. A smile formed on his lips: he could feel her _ki_ slowly coming out. Now that nothing was on her mind, Videl should be able to form a _ki_ -ball in no time. At the rate he could sense her progress, Gohan wouldn't be surprised if she managed to control her _ki_ properly in the next hour.

Pride swelled in his chest as a glowing, yellow ball of raw energy appeared in between Videl's palms, barely fifteen minutes later.

"Wow," she breathed out in awe, staring at her own _ki_. She let the ball fade out and looked up at Gohan, who met her with a broad grin, beaming at her with pride.

"You did it, Videl!" he exclaimed excitedly. "I knew you would be a natural at this."

Videl tried to grin back at him, but she felt too drained all of a sudden and barely managed a tired smile. She felt dizzy, and the grass seemed to rush at her – then the next moment, she was wrapped in Gohan's strong arms, just as she had started to collapse.

"Easy," he said gently, holding her close against him. "It's pretty rough the first time. Let's take a break before we keep going. You're doing amazing."

Videl smiled in fatigue and nodded her head. She let out a soft sigh and leaned her forehead on his shoulder, letting her eyes slide shut. Gohan rubbed her back in a circular motion, and Videl let his gentle caress sooth her.

"You're so comfy," she mumbled, nuzzling his neck. She felt him give a shiver and smirked to herself.

It was truly amazing how the simplest touch from one could affect the other so easily. The chemistry between them was just crazy. It was hard not to believe that they had been made precisely for one another. It just didn't make sense otherwise. Gohan was right: they really were a perfect fit.

Distractedly, almost unconsciously, Videl started planting soft, slow kisses along his strong neck. She found his scar just below the left side of his jaw and ran her tongue over its irregular shape.

"Vi… Videl…" Gohan rasped, his chest heaving deeply. His fingers dug into her waist. "We… We agreed… No distractions."

She stopped and reluctantly pulled back, looking up at him with a disappointed pout. "Not even during the breaks?"

He smiled in resignation, stroking her cheek tenderly. "You need to save your strength."

She rolled her eyes, a smirk forming on her taunting lips. "You could always do all the work."

He flushed brightly and looked away, taking his hand from her cheek to scratch his hair. Videl laughed.

"Are you seriously embarrassed right now?" she asked, quirking an eyebrow at him. "Need I remind you that I've had your dick in my mouth, between my tits, and not to mention deep inside my–"

Gohan covered her mouth with his large hands to stop her from finishing that sentence, unable to make eye contact with Videl. His face was burning so much he wouldn't be surprised if you managed to fry an egg on it.

"I'm well aware," he croaked hoarsely, still adamant on avoiding her gaze. "You don't have to say it like that."

He removed his hands and finally met her amused eyes. Videl chuckled, and then she wrapped her arms around his neck and brought him to her, capturing his lips eagerly. Gohan felt his "no distractions" resolve melt away and responded passionately, cupping her face between his palms as he deepened the kiss.

God, how he loved her lips.

"Videl…" he whispered breathlessly, failing to sound reproachful. He pressed his forehead against hers, his thumbs stroking her cheeks.

"I know, I know," she conceded, a dreamy smile on her lips. "You're just too cute to resist."

He chuckled. "Is that so?"

"You know you are, don't play innocent," she rolled her eyes.

Gohan wrapped his arms around her and held her close, burying his face in the crook of her neck, breathing in her addicting scent.

"Are you well rested yet?" he asked softly.

"Mmm… Five more minutes," she mumbled into his chest, unwilling to leave the comfort of his warmth.

He planted a soft kiss on her neck, enjoying the way he felt her body react to his touch. "Okay."

ooOoo

Gohan figured he had put off meeting the adults for long enough.

It was after dinner time. Gohan had spent the day teaching Videl to control her _ki_ , how to conceal it and how to power up. She was learning so fast, they'd already started working on levitation, and Videl had been able to float a few centimeters off the ground by the time they were done for the day.

He was _so_ impressed by how fast she was making progress. Gohan knew Videl was naturally gifted, but _damn_. At the rate she was learning Gohan wouldn't be surprised if she mastered the art of flight by the end of the week.

They had lunch and dinner together. Gohan prided himself that he was able to resist her charms and not get distracted, no matter how incredibly drawn he felt to Videl. They wouldn't do more than make out, and only during their breaks.

He cracked a smile as he looked at her out of the corner of his eye, and gave her hand a light squeeze. Videl turned to look at him and smiled back. It had been sixteen days since they got together – yes, he still counted the days, although this time he was very much enjoying every minute of it – and Gohan could still hardly believe that she was actually with him. His heart warmed at the thought, and his smile grew into a grin.

"Thanks for coming with me," he said.

"I'd be a pretty lousy girlfriend if I ditched you, wouldn't I?" she smirked, and Gohan's eyes lit up.

 _Girlfriend_. How he loved that word. And it sounded even more exquisite coming out of her beautiful mouth.

God, he loved her _so damn much_. His heart was so full of love for Videl, it felt like it could explode at any moment.

He held her hand a little tighter, beaming down at the gorgeous young woman he was lucky enough to call her his girlfriend. "Let's go, then."

He pulled her towards the right, in front of the intercom, and grimaced slightly in apprehension as he pressed on the square shaped, red button. The answer came almost immediately – Bulma always had her Super Watch on, after all.

Trunks hated that silly name, for that matter.

"Bulma Briefs. Who is it?"

"Erm…" he started nervously. But that was more than enough for the genius scientist to recognize his voice.

"Oh, so you came back after all," she huffed in disdain. "I'm not sure our guests can meet you right now anyway. Maybe you should come back another time. I mean, it obviously means _so little_ to you to introduce yourself to them. Tch, I thought Chichi raised you better than that."

Her tone was laced with venom; Gohan winced. Videl pushed him aside and replied before he could open his mouth. "It was my idea, actually," she cut in, smiling at Gohan in apology. "I made Gohan come with me because I really wanted him to teach me how to fly and stuff. You know, I'm starting to grasp how to sense people's _ki_ now. It's pretty neat, isn't it?"

She was hoping the change of subject could lighten things up a bit. Gohan smiled at her gratefully, his eyes softening – her heart fluttered happily, and her breath came short for a moment. Videl felt like pulling him to her and kissing his beautiful lips – but now was not the time. Such a shame.

"Is that so…" a suspicious, unsure voice replied through the intercom.

"Yes. It's totally my fault, so don't be mad at Gohan for this morning, okay?" Videl went on.

"He sure posed a lot of resistance…" Bulma muttered in bad faith.

"In his defense, he doesn't even want to meet those people and only came because you asked him to. You know how he is, he doesn't like the attention."

Gohan squeezed her hand, and Videl looked over at him. His eyes were full of gratitude, and he mouthed to her, "Thank you so much."

She mouthed back, "Anytime," and gave him a wink. Gohan beamed.

"Well… I guess that's true…" Bulma let out a tired sigh. "I just thought it'd make things easier since everyone's going to be living here now, and since Gohan comes over all the time."

"That's why I came back," Gohan cut in, leaning into the intercom. "I know you're right, and I know I was just postponing the inevitable, but when Videl suggested that we leave I just…" He sighed, "... let her take me along."

"All right, I get it." There was a faint buzzing sound and the gates surrounding the Capsule Corporation estate slowly started to open. "Come on in, then. I'll call everyone to the main living area."

Gohan shot Videl a nervous smile, and she smiled back at him warmly in encouragement, holding his much larger hand tightly. "Thanks, Bulma," he said softly to the intercom before walking through the gates, the love of his life by his side.

Gosh, what would he ever do without her? He knew it was cheesy but, really, as long as Videl was with him, Gohan felt like he could do even the impossible.

Hey, it wasn't _his_ fault love was making him so corny.

ooOoo

Bulma had called them all to the main living area – well, mostly the adults, but it was because Gohan and Videl were there, and Delia liked them a lot and wanted to see them. She was sure all the others would be tagging along too. Besides, she was getting bored in her room. She kept losing at that stupid video game on the same level, and she needed to take a break from it and clear her mind, and hopefully with a fresh start, she would finally be able to beat that damn boss. Fred had chosen to stay in her room and try again to beat the level instead of coming to see Gohan and Videl.

"Gohan doesn't seem to like me anyway," he'd said in a dejected tone, his shoulders slumping.

"Well, stop hitting on his girlfriend; that might help," she'd shot over her shoulder as she walked through the door, rolling her eyes at her older brother.

"It's harmless, and Videl knows I'm just playing around," she'd heard him mutter in bad faith.

Capsule Corp. sure was huge. The grayish blue hallways always felt like a never ending maze. Delia figured that, at least, she was getting some exercise done with all the walking she'd been doing since they all moved here.

She envied Meyers and Fye, who still had at least one living parent. Sure, Fye had lost his mother and Meyers, his older brothers, and sure, she still had Fred, but she missed her parents so much.

Her feet came to a stop as she caught sight of Gohan and Videl at the end of the hall. Her cheeks heated up. Gohan had his hands on Videl's face, and he was kissing her so tenderly, so slowly, so lovingly, his touch so gentle and soft… that Delia could actually _feel_ the love they shared, radiating off their beings. It filled her chest with warmth and peacefulness.

"Not that I'm complaining," she heard Videl say breathlessly, hints of mirth in her tone, "but to what do I owe the pleasure?"

The teenage girl slowly backed away, as noiselessly as possible, and leaned back against the wall, taking a moment to breathe.

"Just saying thank you," Gohan chuckled in response. Glancing over the wall, Delia saw that their foreheads were touching and their eyes still closed, content smiles curving their lips. "Without you, Bulma probably wouldn't even have let me in."

Videl giggled. "You're most welcome."

Gohan leaned in to close the tiny distance between their lips once more, taking his time kissing Videl.

"While I appreciate it," Videl continued, her smile widening against his mouth, "People are kinda waiting for us. Especially for you."

His left hand moved to the back of her neck as he deepened the kiss, wrapping his right arm around her waist to pull her closer. "I kinda couldn't care less right now," he murmured against her lips. "Who knows how long meeting them all is going to take – I'm not waiting until _after_ to thank you properly."

Videl took her arms from around his back to wrap them around his neck, reaching up on her tiptoes to bring him even closer.

Delia was blushing pretty badly at this point. Deciding to take another route to the main living area, she walked away, giving the lovesick couple some privacy.

She wondered what it was like to love someone so completely, so unconditionally. Sure, she'd had crushes before like any normal teenage girl, but what Gohan and Videl had was something else in its entirety. It was like they were two halves of one entity and could only ever be whole when they were together.

Delia was ecstatic that they finally got together, she really was. She'd been rooting for them since the very beginning, and she couldn't be happier for Gohan and Videl. Yet, she couldn't help feeling envious of what they had. Would anyone ever kiss her the way Gohan was kissing Videl? Would someone ever love her to such an extent? A love like theirs was so rare, so unique; it was a one in a million chance to ever come across something like that. And considering how the population of the Earth kept decreasing in the past decade, it made these odds even smaller.

Would she ever get to live a love story, any love story, before the cyborgs got her too?

Her shoulders slumped in discouragement at her depressing thoughts. Delia wished she was more like Shay, who never let anything get her down no matter what. To think Shay had lost her whole family to those monsters… Honestly, Delia had no idea how her friend was still able to smile after everything she had been through. Delia had always admired Shay for that.

"Hey Del, what's the matter?" Fye asked with a raised eyebrow, coming up to walk beside her towards the living area. She managed a small smile and shrugged.

"Where's your dad?" she inquired instead of replying, not too keen to share her thoughts.

"Already there with Bulma." Fye snickered. "I think he's got a thing for her."

Delia couldn't help giggling at that. "Well, that's not surprising. Bulma's really pretty."

"And super hot too," he added with a sly grin. Delia laughed.

"And he's about her age. And pretty handsome, too."

Fye tugged on the collar of his leather jacket with a smug smirk. "Well, I do take after him."

Joachim, Fye's father, was a forty-five-year-old man with a rugged kind of charm. He was tall with dark hair like Fye. His face was usually unshaven, and he had chiseled features and piercing blue eyes. He was also always quick to crack jokes. Fye and his father had a close bond, which only became stronger when their family came to be just the two of them.

"It would be funny if they got together," Fye commented in good humor. Delia tilted her head to the side as she considered the thought.

"Hmm… I don't know. Bulma doesn't seem to be over Trunks' dad to me," she pointed out.

Fye shrugged. "Well, if Dad goes after her, I'm pretty sure he could get her. He's always got an easy time with the ladies." His smile toned down in wistfulness. "Mom used to get so jealous at times."

"She never had anything to worry about," Delia smiled. "She was _so_ beautiful. Your dad's got good tastes."

Fye laughed. "Haha, yeah. I guess he likes them gorgeous. I take that after him too," he added, winking at his childhood friend.

They continued to chitchat as they walked along the endless corridors, and finally, they arrived at the living area. Bulma and all the adults were already there, sitting in the numerous armchairs and couches that were tastefully placed in the spacious room. Gordon and Shay were already there too, but there was no sign of Meyers for now. He might have gotten lost – the boy had a terrible sense of direction, and it wouldn't be the first time since they all moved in with Bulma that Meyers got himself lost in the giant buildings full of identical hallways.

Unsurprisingly, neither Gohan nor Videl had gotten there yet. Delia blushed slightly at the memory of the gentle way Gohan had been kissing Videl. Were they still busy with each other right now?

There was a giant plasma screen across from the sitting area, but it stayed off most of the time and now was no exception. The atmosphere was nonetheless lively and pleasant, and the conversations were mostly centered about Gohan and Trunks and what the teens had been up to in West City since they arrived. Gordon's guardians were very impressed to hear what the humble boy had been working on with Bulma, who was happy to answer for her assistant since Gordon wasn't too keen on talking about it – or about anything, really. Delia smiled. The poor boy disliked attention, even more so when it forced him to speak more than he was comfortable with.

"I still can't believe time travel is possible," Kent, Gordon's uncle, commented in awe. "And that our little Gordy is actually _working on_ making it possible."

"Think of all the things you could achieve if this works and the world goes back to normal," Liz, his aunt, added with anticipation shining in her eyes. "You could become one of the most renowned scientists in the world!"

The couple was actually in their late twenties, early thirties, but they had not hesitated for one second before taking in Gordon and the twins when they heard about the attack four years ago. Liz was an attractive, fairly tall young woman with thick dark hair, hazel eyes, olive skin, and voluptuous curves. She dressed comfortably but with good taste: a loose, bi-colored sweater, skinny jeans and gray flats. As for Kent, he was about the same height as her, maybe just a little bit taller, with fair skin and light brown hair. He was wearing a white, long-sleeved shirt, simple jeans, and black sneakers. Under thick eyebrows, green eyes turned to Delia as she and Fye walked towards the group, and he smiled kindly and waved them over. He motioned to the empty spot next to Gordon and winked at her, and Delia smiled back at him before settling down beside her childhood friend – the not-so-subtle insinuation flying way over her head.

Fye pulled up a random chair and sat backward on it, resting his arms on its back. "So, Gohan and Videl are still not here?" he said. "Think they got lost or something?"

"Gohan knows Capsule Corp. pretty well, actually, so that's unlikely," Bulma pointed out. Fye shrugged in response.

"It's been a while though."

Delia smiled shyly. "I saw them on my way," she said softly, blushing slightly. "So they should be here soon enough, I guess."

Bulma quirked an eyebrow at the girl, observing her for a few long moments. Then she rolled her eyes. "Let me guess – they were making out, weren't they?" Delia's blush deepened and she looked down, staring intently at her hands, clutching the fabric of her skirt. That was all Bulma needed to draw her conclusions, and she huffed in disapproval. "I swear, those two are worse than bunnies. Can't they keep their hands off each other long enough to come meet everyone? Geez…"

"But they love each other so much!" Shay piped up in her usual cheerful voice, stars shining in her eyes. "And they suffered so much before they got together, too. I'm just glad they're finally happy together."

"Sorry I'm late!"

Everyone turned at the sound of the rushed male voice, but it was only Meyers. Said teenage boy got offended at the look of disappointment on nearly everybody's faces upon his arrival. He crossed his arms and pouted, sitting down on an empty armchair closest to the entrance.

"Aww, Mey sweetie, don't take it like that," his mother cooed at him, moving from her seat on the biggest couch to sit on the arm of Meyers' chair. She leaned down to wrap her arms around his shoulders and give him a hug. "They were just expecting that young man and his girlfriend. But I'm really happy to see you. What took you so long, anyway?"

Meyers blushed slightly, and Haruka, his mother, pulled back from him to take a good long look at the teenage boy. She raised an eyebrow; Meyers looked especially good tonight – she could even smell his aftershave. He was wearing a nice, plaid red shirt, under which was a plain gray shirt, along with clean jeans and his favorite pair of sneakers.

Fye snorted out a laugh, stifling the sound with his hand. "Did you seriously get all dressed up because Videl's here?"

A bright crimson blush streaked across Meyers' face. "Wha– no! Of course not! I'm always dressed like this," he retorted in bad faith.

"No, you're not," Shay said blankly. Meyers rolled his eyes and looked away, pouting once again.

His gaze was on the doorway, so he was the first to notice the young couple making that last turn before getting to the entrance of the living area.

His feet moved on their own accord and Meyers shot up from his seat; his mother almost lost her balance from his abrupt movement. Everyone followed his eyes and saw Gohan and Videl walk through the wide open double doors, and Fye, Delia, Gordon and Shay shared a smirk and snickered between each other at Meyers' expense.

"Hello," Gohan greeted everyone with an awkward smile, raising his hand in salute.

Bulma stood up and moved to the center of the room, ready to fill her role as the hostess. "Everyone, meet Gohan and Videl. Gohan, Videl, these are Meyers' parents, Haruka and Luke."

Gohan and Videl looked over at the couple, who smiled at them and waved slightly. Haruka looked in her late thirties; she was obviously from the Far East, with her brown, slanted eyes, straight, raven hair and fair skin. She looked rather classy with her straight, salmon pink skirt, tucked-in white blouse, and cream colored heels. As for her husband, who looked maybe a few years older, he matched her look nicely with a button up, blue and white striped shirt, dark gray dress pants and black dress shoes. He had a noticeable nose that actually fit in a fine way on his face, with a square jaw and brown eyes. Meyers looked a lot like him, Gohan noticed, minus his hair, which was dark blue like his mom's, whereas Luke's was honey-brown.

"This is Fye's father, Joachim," Bulma continued.

"Hi," the man in question smiled excitedly, his eyes trained on Gohan, as he quickly stood up and walked over, offering the younger man his hand. Gohan smiled and tried his best to hide his nervousness as he shook Joachim's hand.

"Nice to meet you, Joachim," he said politely.

"Oh, my," Liz said softly, placing a hand on her cheek. "He's so polite – and handsome, too."

Gohan felt his face burn up and looked away, scratching his hair with his free hand – Fye's father was still shaking his right hand with both of his, looking at him in awe and admiration.

"I just wanted to say – thank you so much," the older man said. "For saving all of our lives, for what you've been doing for all these years. You're the only thing giving us all hope despite the current state of the world. Really, thank you. From the bottom of my heart. Thank you so much."

Gohan cracked a small, kind smile. "You're most welcome. I hope it'll yield results soon enough."

"I'm sure it will," Joachim replied immediately, without an ounce of doubt in his voice. "I've seen you fight you know – you're incredible. I know you can do it – I'm sure you will."

His muscles relaxed, and Gohan's smile widened. Joachim let go of his hand and stepped back. _What a nice guy,_ the young warrior thought to himself.

"Well, as I was saying, this is Joachim," Bulma said, hints of amusement in her tone. "And, lastly, those are Gordon's guardians, Liz and Kent."

"Nice to meet you all," Gohan said with a genuine smile, taking the time to make eye contact with each of the adults.

"Likewise," Kent grinned at him. He motioned to Videl with his head. "Got yourself a really pretty lady, too. Must be nice to be young."

Gohan blushed and scratched the back of his head with an awkward grin. Liz pinched her husband's arm, making him wince slightly as she rolled her eyes at him. "You're barely thirty-one, don't speak like you're an old man. Do you think _I'm_ old?"

"You're younger than me," he chuckled in good humor.

"By only two years. Now shush, you're embarrassing me."

"Yes dear," he teased, winking at her.

"I'm Videl, by the way," the young woman said, crossing her arms. She smirked, "Not that anyone cares."

"Actually," Liz piped up, holding up her finger. "I'm super curious. I mean, you're with…" She gave Gohan a look of awe, " _Him_. What's _that_ like? How did it even happen?"

Videl's smirk widened, and Gohan felt dread creep up on him.

With good reason, too.

"I'd tell you, but there are kids in the room," she replied mischievously. Gohan smacked his face with his large hand, the visible parts of his skin glowing bright crimson. The room rose with laughter.

But while everybody else was oblivious and still having a good time, Gohan suddenly shot Videl a serious look – and he knew, the moment their eyes met, that she could feel it too. His heart clenched.

Maybe teaching her how to sense _ki_ wasn't such a good idea, after all.

She suddenly threw herself into his arms and held onto him as tight as she could. Gohan felt his cheeks grow warm because the room fell quiet and he knew all eyes were on them, but he pushed his self-consciousness aside and wrapped his arms around Videl's petite body, holding her close.

"I'm sorry," he murmured to her hair.

"I know," she whispered back, tightening her hold around him. "Just, keep your promise, okay?"

"I will."

Gohan waited for her to be ready to let go, but in the back of his mind he could feel more and more people dying, and he was getting restless. Feeling him so tense, Videl reluctantly pulled back from him. Their eyes met again.

She reached up and pressed her lips to his. It lasted a few seconds and left him wanting more, but Gohan denied himself another kiss. He nodded solemnly at the woman he loved, gave one look around the room, and turned around to leave. He trusted Videl to explain everything.

"What was that about?" Joachim asked in a mix of confusion and worry. One look around told Videl that only Bulma seemed to have figured out what was going on.

"Did you feel the cyborgs killing, too?" she asked Videl, confirming her thoughts. She nodded, then collapsed on a vacant armchair next to Meyers and heaved a deep sigh.

"He's off fighting again."

She felt Gohan taking off and then suddenly, the weight of his power took the breath out of her, and she widened her eyes. Did he turn Super Saiyan? He said it was like a power boost, but – this was ridiculous!

And then a worrying thought crossed her mind. Just _how_ strong were the cyborgs when Gohan was still no match for them?

"What's wrong?" Bulma asked, and as Videl lifted her gaze to the older woman, she noticed the creasing lines on her forehead.

"It's the first time I've felt Gohan's power."

A flash of understanding took over her features, and Bulma nodded, while the rest of the people in the room looked just as confused as ever. Yet nobody dared ask anything else as Videl's gaze unfocused and her brow furrowed in concentration, following Gohan's movement as he rushed to where the life forces were disappearing in masses.

It was such an awful feeling, to sense so many people dying at once. No wonder Gohan and Trunks couldn't help going against the cyborgs even when they knew they didn't stand a chance – if only they could save just one life in return. Hell, if _she_ were strong enough, she would have rushed after Gohan and joined in the fight. She imagined punching those monsters in the face and how satisfying that must feel; to see the blood they spat and the look of pain and hatred in their cold eyes. She almost envied Gohan.

In that moment, Videl felt like she had never understood Gohan so clearly, so easily. Sensing it happen opened a whole new dimension to her; it made her see things differently. It made her want to help, in any way possible – and if that meant staying put and waiting for Gohan to come back to her, then that was what she was going to do.

"He's probably going to be hungry when he gets back," she muttered distractedly as she got up from her seat. "Where's the kitchen?" she asked Bulma, who blinked at her dumbly for a few moments before getting to her feet hastily and suggesting she show her the way.

Videl followed Bulma wordlessly, her senses never once leaving Gohan's vibrant _ki_. Her breath came short when he reached the cyborgs and immediately started fighting. People stopped dying. She could feel a handful of them scattering around, saving themselves, helping one another. Humankind could show its best face at the most critical times. Everybody was in the same boat, and they had more chances of surviving together than on their own. It was like throwing a punch – if you gathered your fingers and closed them tight, the hit would be much more effective than if you used just one finger to flick someone.

Bulma showed her to the kitchen. Videl thanked her and said she could manage on her own from there. Bulma gave her an apprehensive look.

"How is he doing?" she breathed anxiously. Videl's lips drew a thin line, unable to hide her worry any longer.

"His… _ki_ is slowly dropping," she replied quietly, looking away from the older woman. She spotted the gigantic, metallic gray fridge and walked over, then she opened it and looked thoughtfully at the full shelves, wondering what she could make for Gohan when he came back.

"Slowly?" Bulma repeated. "That's actually a good thing."

There was a blank. Bulma didn't leave, and Videl could feel her watching as she got out some meat, potatoes and fresh vegetables out of the fridge. Ignoring the older woman's presence, Videl busied herself peeling the potatoes and putting a pot full of oil on the stove.

"I have robots for cooking meals, you know," Bulma said after a while.

"I'm good," Videl replied distractedly. "Gohan likes my cooking."

Bulma smiled as she observed the young woman a little longer. "All right then."

As Bulma left her be, Videl continued to peel the stack of potatoes she'd taken out. She focused on her task while still feeling out for Gohan. She wondered how he was going to get away from them. Most of the survivors had managed to flee, and once the rest of them got to safety, Gohan was to do the same and come back to her.

But would he? Was he really going to leave in the middle of the fight? Would the cyborgs even let him? What if they decided to kill him because he was no fun anymore?

Her hands trembled, and she stilled her movement. Videl swallowed, and took a deep breath. It was going to be okay. Gohan was going to be okay. He was coming back to her, for sure. She had to be strong for him. She had to believe in him. She needed to hope again.

ooOoo

After Videl and Bulma had left the living area, nobody said a thing for a while; they just stared after them at the open entrance in a kind of dazed state, slowly taking in everything that just happened.

"Well, that was… interesting," Luke said slowly, a slight frown on his face.

"I hope he'll be all right," his wife added, lines of worry creasing her forehead.

Silence took over the room once more. Shay cleared her throat slightly. A mild smile curved her lips as she turned to the adults. "So, what do you think of our star-crossed lovers?"

"They look pretty serious to me," Kent replied.

"Oh, they are," Delia smiled. "They're probably going to get married someday."

"Heh, I don't know," Fye said with an awkward smile. "I don't see Videl as the marrying type. Gohan, though? Definitely." He grinned. "I bet he'd marry her right now if he could."

"Yeah," Gordon agreed with a snicker.

"You've been spending a lot of time with him in Bulma's lab," Delia said, turning to Gordon. "What's that like? Honestly, I never expected our "mysterious fighter" to be into science too."

"He's a genius," Gordon replied simply. "He can keep up with Bulma easily."

Liz raised an eyebrow at the boy. "You mean, he's got brains, brawn, _and_ looks? Damn. That Videl sure got the jackpot."

" _Ahem_ ," Kent cleared his throat loudly, giving his wife a pointed look, an eyebrow quirked and a slight tug on his lips.

"What?" she rolled her eyes at him, clearly not impressed. "I thought you were _old._ "

"So that's it, then?" he said, placing his hand on his chest in an overly dramatic way, an exaggerated shocked look on his face. "You'd replace me with a younger man without even batting an eye?"

"Oh, yeah, definitely," she smirked. "Especially if he's _that_ hot. I mean, seriously, he's ridiculously handsome. And did you see his _arms_?"

The teens snickered at the scene, while the rest of the adult looked on with a smile.

"Hey! I have muscles, too!" Kent retorted in mock indignation, rolling up his right sleeve to show the curve of his forearm. It was indeed muscular, but rather thin and not very defined – nothing compared to Gohan, that was for sure. "And he's already got a girlfriend, need I remind you?"

"And you've got a husband," giggled Haruka, who, like everybody else, was finding the situation quite humorous.

"Yeah!" Kent exclaimed, suddenly getting to his feet, as if he just remembered they were married. " _I'm_ your husband, remember?"

Liz laughed. Kent couldn't keep the charade anymore and let out a chuckle. He took her hand and pulled her to him, wrapping her in his arms.

"This is fun and all, but you'd better _never_ leave me for another guy," he said good-naturedly.

"Well, I would be pretty bored if I didn't have you to make fun of," she replied with a smile, leaning her head on his shoulder; they were about the same height.

A chorus of "Aww" followed, some of which sounded sarcastic. Fye rolled his eyes and shot Meyers and Gordon a look, who grinned back at him.

But soon the pleasant atmosphere faded away as the worry and dread of the current situation took over once more. Luke shuffled in his pant pocket and got out an egg-shaped device. Haruka walked over to sit next to him, her features serious, as she nodded her head.

"It's my radio," he informed the others, who were looking at the weird looking gadget in confusion and curiosity. He pushed a small button on the top and an antenna popped up; there were some parasite sounds at first, then a male voice was speaking. Unsurprisingly, it was about Gohan's current fight.

It felt different now, listening to the radio about the mysterious golden fighter when he wasn't so mysterious to them anymore. Well, they still barely knew him, but now that they had met Gohan, listening to his fight felt doubly dreadful.

He was so young, too. Barely out of his teens – and he had been fighting the cyborgs since the very beginning, when he was but a child. He wasn't just a hero, a warrior, a beacon of hope in their chaotic world. Gohan was a person. He was a man. He had a girl he loved, and people who cared about him. He was just like everyone else – not just a faceless hero whose sole purpose was to save the world.

It was easier to listen to his fights before they met him. Now, on top of worrying for his life and hoping he could finally kill those tin cans, they worried for the girl who was definitely suffering the most about the situation; they worried about his well-being as a potential friend, not just a fighter who had all of their hopes for the future.

He was just a guy, in the end. A guy with a life, with hopes and dreams of his own. A guy who was unbelievably kind and pure – there was just something about the aura he gave off, something soothing and warm. And he was kind of adorable, too – and easily flustered, from what they could tell from their short encounter.

Liz snuggled up to her husband on the sofa as she listened to the broadcast. What must it be like for Videl, having to let the man she loved go and risk his life on a regular basis? She thought of the wives of soldiers, and Liz figured that the situation was quite similar. She wondered how those women could do it. She was glad Kent was just a normal guy. She wouldn't have been able to take it if he was out fighting like Gohan; she would've probably had a panic attack by now. How did Videl do it?

She didn't know that Videl wasn't even sure she _could_ do it. Liz had no idea that this particular fight could determine Gohan and Videl's whole future as a couple, or how much Videl was itching to just run away from all this and never come back.

ooOoo

Gohan groaned, slowly getting back to his feet on the broken cement. The cyborgs were smirking down at him, hovering in the night sky among the clouds of smoke and the destroyed skyscrapers. He narrowed his eyes as he focused his senses on his surroundings, checking for any remaining survivors. He scanned the area with his mind, looking for the smallest sign of life.

Relief washed over him when he felt nobody else. Good. The survivors were safe.

But the cyborgs were barely getting started on him, he could feel it, and keeping them entertained was essential to his survival. If he wasn't fun to beat up anymore, then he would be serving them no purpose, and they would have no reason to keep him alive.

He gritted his teeth at the thought of Videl waiting for him. She was expecting him to come back, and she could feel that the coast was clear now. Teaching her how to sense _ki_ seemed like a good idea at the time, but now Gohan truly regretted that decision. Now, every time he would be off fighting, Videl would actually be able to sense him in the battle; she would feel when he was in pain, and when things would be getting alarming. She would always know how bad his condition would be, and now he wouldn't even be able to pretend he was fine.

They rushed him again, and Gohan came to a decision. He placed his open hands by his temples, his palms facing behind him, and shouted the name of the famous technique. Blinding white light shot out from his being, and while the unsuspecting monsters cried out in pain and covered their eyes, Gohan made his hasty exit.

Maybe he'd just signed his death warrant by doing this, but Gohan decided to be optimistic. He would fight the cyborgs more seriously another time. Right now, he needed to prove to Videl that he was a man of his word. He needed to show her that they could overcome anything.

And he just needed _her_. He wanted to hold her in his arms and whisper to her that he was okay, that she had nothing to worry about.

He also died to tell her he loved her, but that would be for another time. Unless…?

ooOoo

Videl let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. Gohan was on his way back, and from what she could tell he was in pretty good shape. A smile of relief spread out on her lips as she stirred the new batch of fries in the boiling pot of oil. She'd made a ton, and she'd also cut the meat into slices to grill steaks. While everything had been cooking, she also made a salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, sweet peppers, canned corn, and lettuce. The man needed his vitamins, after all.

Everything should be ready by the time Gohan got back. Her smile grew. Perfect timing.

She was setting the table when Gohan appeared in the doorway. Videl straightened up and beamed at the man she loved. He walked around the table and pulled her to him, holding her tightly against him.

"Welcome back," she murmured into his shirt, her arms tightly bound around his back.

He didn't say anything and only held her closer.

"I made you a snack," Videl chuckled after a while. "And it's getting cold."

Gohan barely pulled back, just enough to look at the table. Somehow he was only noticing now the delicious smell of fried potatoes and grilled meat. It looked as delicious as it smelled. "Wow."

"You hungry?" she grinned up at him. Gohan cupped her cheek and gave her a gentle smile – one of those dazzling smiles that just made her melt and stare at him dreamily.

"You're the best." He bent down to kiss her lips, holding her face between his warm palms, and Videl felt her whole body tingle from his tender touch.

Then his stomach growled, and they shared a laugh. Gohan grinned at her sheepishly, scratching the back of his head. Videl had never felt a stronger urge to tell him how much she loved him.

She kissed him again instead, wondering if he could feel how much he meant to her through the contact. When she pulled back, Gohan's expression, a mix of confusion and seriousness, told her that he most likely had.

"Now eat. I didn't cook all that just so it could get cold," Videl smiled, pushing him to sit on a chair.

He cracked a smile. "Thank you."

Gohan turned to the table, and his eyes lit up. There was a huge bowl full of potato fries and a large plate with several, fuming steaks on it. She even made him a salad. Everything looked and smelled absolutely delicious and mouth-watering. He jabbed his fork in one of the steaks and put it on his plate, and wasted no time cutting the meat and tasting it. He sighed in delight. It was cooked perfectly. Videl was truly the best girlfriend anyone could've ever asked for.

But she was his – only his.

He glanced at her, sitting beside him at the table. He felt a warm feeling spread out in his chest, and Gohan knew, in that moment, that he'd made the right decision earlier.

But, he also knew that if he kept it up and didn't fight the cyborgs properly, if he wasn't proving to be fun enough for them, if they didn't get to beat the crap out of him like they so enjoyed… they were going to kill him sooner rather than later. And Gohan couldn't let that happen.

He was halfway through his "snack" when he slowed down, his spirits dropping fast at the thought of explaining the situation to Videl. He had promised her that he would only fight the cyborgs as much as it was necessary to save as many people as he could, but they had to be realistic about this. If he didn't fight them and go all out, his chances of staying alive would only get slimmer. Surely, Videl would understand that, right?

Gohan pushed his plate away, suddenly not feeling like eating anymore. A tight knot in his stomach had ruined his appetite. Well, there wasn't much left anyway.

Videl looked at him questioningly. He offered her a gentle smile, but his heart wasn't much in it. How was he supposed to tell her that he _had_ to get beaten up in order to survive against the cyborgs? How was he to explain that after this time, he wouldn't be able to keep his promise?

"Videl," he started, but then his shoulders hunched in discouragement, and he ran his hand over the back of his neck. Videl frowned and scooted closer to him with her chair, touching his cheek.

"What's the matter?"

He tried to smile, but he just couldn't bring himself to. How was she going to react? It was the one condition she had, the one thing she asked of him so they could be together. If he told her he couldn't do it anymore, would she leave him? Even after everything they'd been through?

"It's about…" Gohan swallowed and wanted to look away from her deep blue eyes – her trusting, loving eyes. How could he tell her he had to break the promise he made to her? God, he hated this. Gohan had always prided himself on being a man of his word, of always, _always_ keeping his promises no matter what.

Well, he did break his promise to stay away from her. But in his defense – he'd tried _so hard_ to keep it.

"It's about my promise," he said quickly, his eyes looking at her in distress. Sensing that something was going to go very wrong, Videl pulled her hand back from him, a deep frown creasing her brow.

"What about it?"

He sighed, his shoulders slumping even more. His voice lowered to a barely audible whisper. "I don't think I can keep it."

She crossed her arms. Her eyes were hard. It was breaking his heart.

"You know I'm their favorite toy, right?" he tried to explain. "Well, if your favorite toy didn't work properly and wasn't as much fun anymore, what would you do with it?"

She uncrossed her arms and looked away, running her hand down her face. "Toss it."

He reached to her, but stopped just before his fingers could make contact with her cheek. He wasn't sure he was allowed to touch her right now.

The thought left a sinking feeling in his stomach.

"I know I promised you," he said softly, placing his hand on his lap instead. "And I really wish I wouldn't have to fight them so much – if it were up to me, I'd never throw a punch again. I hate fighting, and fighting them just makes me hate it even more."

Videl turned anguished eyes on him. She moved from her chair to sit on his lap and buried her face in the crook of his neck, wrapping her arms around his neck. Gohan felt some of the weight on his shoulders get lighter – he held her close in his arms, shutting his eyes tightly. They felt hot and stingy, and a lump was forming in his throat.

"I understand," she said quietly.

 _I love you,_ he shouted in his head. Good gods, he loved her so much.

He pulled back slightly to cup her face in his hands and look into her eyes. They looked back at him in resignation, and so much love. He wished they could just say it to each other already.

"Thank you," he murmured instead, pressing his forehead against hers. He closed his eyes. "I was so scared you'd leave me if I broke my promise."

"Well, you kept it this one time at least," she breathed, playing with his hair at the base of his neck.

He swallowed thickly. "Can I say it?" he asked suddenly. He felt her tensing up in his arms, and kept his eyes tightly shut, dreading to look at her. "Please, Videl, let me say it. I can't take it anymore. I swear it's going to come out on its own if you don't let me tell you."

Her lips trembled. Her heart was going crazy in her chest. She opened her mouth to say something, but her mouth was so dry – nothing was coming out. Videl swallowed hard.

"Does it really need saying?" she murmured. "I just…" She bit down on her lip. "I'm so scared, Gohan." Her breathing was deepening. "You have no idea how much…" She swallowed again and didn't keep going.

 _How much I want to hear you say it. How much I'm dying to say it back._

"If I let you say it, then there's no going back. It'll make everything too real, and that terrifies me."

 _Because I still don't know if I can take waiting for you while you fight them –_ really _fight them. And I still don't know if we can make it work._

"I'm so sorry, Gohan." Her voice cracked. Gohan felt the lump grow bigger in his throat. He kissed her, trying to forget the ache in his chest. He kissed her hard, pulling her body all against his, letting his lust for her take over; letting the delightful sensations fill his being, masking the pain of her rejection.

He suddenly felt restless and horny, and his need for Videl was just about to explode. Letting his instincts take control, Gohan got up while still kissing Videl, holding her up against him as her legs wrapped around his waist. Blindly, he moved the dishes aside on the wide table and sat the young woman on its wooden surface.

He detached his mouth from hers and looked deep into her eyes. He knew she was thinking the same thing. He knew she wanted this too – and he didn't care about anything else.

His hands moved to the buckle of her belt and, not breaking eye contact, heaving deeply, Gohan undid her pants and lowered them, taking her underwear down along with them. Her knee-length boots were in the way, so Videl used her feet to slide them off her legs. Once they were off, Gohan took off her pants and underwear with a sharp tug, tossing them away behind him, and then Videl gasped when he pushed two fingers inside her slippery walls. With his right hand, Gohan lifted her sweater over her head and dived his mouth on the uncovered parts of her bra-clad breasts. She was heaving hard, Gohan's left hand easily finding all the right spots to make her go crazy.

He caught the front clasp of her sports bra in between his teeth and tore it open, freeing her beautiful breasts from the clothing hindrance. And then his mouth, his tongue, his breath were all over her cleavage, and Videl could barely tell what was on what anymore – she could only register the mind-boggling pleasure of Gohan's fingers inside of her and his mouth all over her sensitive skin. Her breathing quickened, becoming erratic, uncontrollable. Her skin was tingly all over. And she felt hot – so hot. She was burning up. She was getting close. So close.

Her body shuddered, and she let out a closed-mouthed moan, pinching her lips together to stifle the sound. She came all over his hand, down his wrist, and her mind was vaguely aware of his tongue licking and sucking her left nipple.

Then he let go of her and straightened up. He smirked and took out his hand from between her thighs, bringing it up to show her his handiwork. He started licking his wrist, and shot her a look as he continued to suck her juice all over his hand, taking his time sucking on his fingers.

Her loins were on fire. He looked so fucking hot right now. Videl felt her sanity slipping as she watched him, and she suddenly grabbed his collar and seized his mouth roughly, tasting herself on his tongue.

She felt he was overdressed, and decided it was about time to do something about it. She untied his belt impatiently, cursing a few colorful choice of words when the damn thing wouldn't cooperate. Gohan chuckled against her lips, before lowering himself along her jawline, making her shudder in delight as he worked his magic in the crook of her neck.

Finally, his belt was untied, and Videl let his orange pants drop on their own down his feet. Gohan kicked them off, pulling back from her skin to straighten up and pull his shirts over his head, revealing his perfectly sculpted naked body to his lover's hungry eyes.

She grabbed his ass and pulled him all against her, both letting out groans of delight at the feeling of their nether regions meshing together. With a skilled roll of his pelvis, Gohan pushed himself inside of Videl, and then he kissed her hard to muffle their cries and moans of ecstasy as he pounded her relentlessly, urgently. He placed his right hand on the table for leverage, his left hand on her hip, the fingers digging into her plush skin. He had to break the kiss to allow them both to gasp for air, and then a few seconds later he was devouring her mouth once more. Videl had her arms around his neck, while her legs were tightly bound around his waist, so much that she was barely giving him enough space to pull out from inside her and push himself back in.

And she was so tight and warm and slippery. She tasted so good. She felt so amazing. It almost made him forget how much it hurt to be forbidden from telling her just how hopelessly in love he was with her. Almost.

But as the pleasure reached unbelievable heights, and everything felt so perfect and so right as he made love to Videl, Gohan almost blurted it out in the passion of the moment. Good thing his mouth was occupied kissing the breath out of her – only unintelligible mumbles came out, and Videl didn't even notice.

They went on for what felt like a blissful eternity, their bodies moving as one – becoming one. Gohan kept kissing her over and over again, only letting up long enough to let them catch their breath before claiming her mouth once more. She was just so delicious – he never wanted to stop kissing her

He brought her down to the wooden table and grabbed the back of her thighs to push her legs up against the surface on each side of her, allowing him easier access to thrust in and out of her. Her hands gripped his broad back, and her fingernails pierced his skin, her moans of delight still muffled against his mouth.

Videl threw her head to the side, breaking the kiss, gasping for air. She buried her nose in the crook of his neck and held onto him tight. Gohan increased the pace, holding her hips with both his hands, feeling that they were both getting close. He panted against her neck, gripping her hips harder.

He was going mad with pleasure. It was too much. He couldn't take it. She was killing him. It was too much.

Yet he just couldn't stop.

The explosion blinded him. Videl muffled her scream of ecstasy against his neck. Their bodies shook violently; his knees buckled, and he could barely stand on his legs.

It was too much. So deliciously much.

ooOoo

Gohan had come back from his fight and, with Videl, they had said goodbye to everyone and left Capsule Corp.

Joachim poured himself a cup of decaf as he thought back to the events of the day. He set the coffee pot on the kitchen counter and walked over to sit at the table. He had to admit, he hadn't expected to be this attracted to Bulma. He'd caught glimpses of her in magazines and whatnot before, but photos did not do her justice. She was gorgeous, and there was an air about her that just made him feel drawn.

He knew it would be inappropriate of him to pursue her. She had been so kind as to invite a bunch of stranger into her home, and he would feel like he was violating her trust if he tried anything. He was also bummed out that she showed absolutely zero interest in him – Joachim could always tell when someone was attracted to him; there would always be a peculiar glint in the person's eye when they looked at him – and yes, he did mean women and men alike. He was actually quite popular among gay men, a fact that always amused him when he would get hit on. He'd even let a particularly handsome man kiss him once when he was in college, just out of curiosity and with a lot of alcohol in his blood. He remembered how the smell had been different than of a woman's. Joachim had actually enjoyed that kiss – after all, lips were lips. The man had become one of his best friends at the time, but they had lost touch after college. He wondered what became of him since the cyborgs appeared.

In any case, Bulma was clearly not interested, so Joachim had decided not to push it. Maybe if they spent time together and grew closer, Bulma would eventually develop feelings for him – if he was lucky. Or he could be stuck in the friendzone forever and never get to taste her beautiful lips. While that would be quite a shame, Joachim decided that he was going to be okay with it. Whatever happened, Joachim was going to accept it.

He'd missed his son in the past few weeks and was glad to be reunited with his only family again. Fye was a smartass and could get pretty annoying, but those were traits his son took after him, so who was he to talk?

He'd spent most of the day with Fye talking and watching some movies and TV shows. He knew Gordon had shown his guardians to Bulma's lab, since they'd been eager to see him work with one of the, if not _the_ brightest mind of all times. Haruka had been curious about the maze-like building that was both a home and a company to Bulma, so Meyers had begrudgingly taken them for a tour – obviously, the teen would've rather been able to play video games with Delia and Fred instead.

Meeting Gohan sure had been something else. He still couldn't believe he actually _shook hands_ with the no longer mysterious hero, the only man capable of facing the cyborgs.

As he took a long sip of his warm beverage, Joachim's eye caught something black hanging on the handle of the kitchen cabinet under the sink. Blinking in confusion, the man set his mug on the table and pushed his chair back to get up, before walking over to the black, hung cloth. He bent over and picked it up in between his thumb and forefinger, and as he brought the thing closer for inspection, his eyes widened as his nostrils recognized the distinct smell of arousal.

Tugging on either side of the tiny piece of clothing, Joachim's suspicions were confirmed when a pair of women's boxer stretched out between his hands. _What the hell…?_

Soft steps came closer to the kitchen, and Joachim looked up from the underwear to see Bulma walking over to the coffee pot. Her nose scrunched in disapproval. "Is this decaf?"

Joachim didn't reply. Bulma didn't seem to care and simply started to make herself a new pot of coffee.

"This isn't yours, is it?"

Bulma quirked an eyebrow at him as he raised his hands to show her the stretched out underwear. Her eyes widened, and then she laughed, throwing her head back.

"Oh, no, it's definitely not mine. My money's on Videl," she added slyly. And then she suddenly froze for a moment, before making a disgusted face. "Wait, they did it _here_? _Seriously_? Gross! I eat in here! Ugh! Couldn't they wait to get home before boning each other? I swear, those two… I am _so_ teasing the hell out of them about it when I see them – serves them right for having sex in my kitchen." She then looked at her untouched cup of coffee grimaced again, setting it on the counter. "I'm going to have to sanitize the place. Who knows where they did it. Ugh. What a pain."

A bead of sweat trickled down his temple as he watched the beautiful woman leave the kitchen in a rush, muttering to herself about bunnies and testosterone and stupid, horny perverts.

He chuckled to himself. That Bulma sure was something else. It was too bad she wasn't interested.

He realized he was still holding Videl's underwear. He chuckled again, before putting the garment back where he found it, leaving it hanging from the handle of the cabinet door under the sink. He wondered if Videl was going to come back and look for it. Now that was bound to become a hilarious situation. Well, not for either Gohan nor Videl, but for him, that was for sure. And anyone happening to be around when or if it happened.

Laughing to himself, Joachim picked up his cup and walked out of the kitchen. He already loved it here.

ooOoo

It left him with an unsatisfying sensation of unfinished business, and 17 didn't like the feeling at all. Running away like that wasn't like Gohan. Something was off.

"Well, he better not make a habit out of it," 18 sneered in contempt, kicking at the poor man while he was down. They were staying in a new house in another city, torturing another household of wealthy people.

"If he's no fun anymore, we kill him. It's as simple as that."

17 was leaning back comfortably on a luxurious armchair, watching his sister torment the family of their current stop.

"I know," 18 replied, leaving the man in a heap on the floor as she turned to 17. "I'd kinda miss beating him around though. At first."

"Well, let's see what happens next time. Maybe it was an off day for him." The dark-haired cyborg shrugged.

18 turned to the family of four once again, smirking evilly at the cowering bunch holding each other close while the man of the house lay whimpering at her feet. She stomped on his head with a sickening _crunch_. She made a face at the blood and skin and bones and pieces of brain staining her white boot. His wife held onto her two sons tightly as they trembled and tried to cry quietly.

"Oh, shut up," she rolled her eyes. She gathered artificial energy in her hand and threw the ball at them, watching them cry out and burn with a twisted pleasure.

"Already done here?"

18 shrugged. "They were too much of a hassle. Let's just hang around here for a while. We'll go find more people to torment tomorrow."

"Sounds like a plan."

* * *

 _[I've decided to slow down a bit because I don't want to burn myself out, so chapters are going to take longer from now on. I also need to work on_ Innocent Feelings _and_ Life Is Too Short _\- I've neglected them long enough I think. But not to worry, I may be writing more slowly, but I'm still writing, and that's what matters, right? :)_

 _My thanks go to Godfather and_ rockstone _, as usual. They're always there to help me or just keep me company as I write, and it makes the process all the more fun. ^^ Thanks, guys, and thank you all for reading my work. I believe that once I've completed TSYA, it's going to be my masterpiece, haha. :P_

 _I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Reviews would make me very happy. ^^ ]_

* * *

 _November 19, 2016_


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